Arapahoe sheriff set to cap career
Grayson Robinson
steps down this week
By George Lurie

glurie@
coloradocommunitymedia.com
After more than four decades of public
service, Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson
Robinson will take off his uniform for the
last time on Jan. 31.
A retirement ceremony for the popular
sheriff will be held at the Arapahoe County Justice Center on his last day and it’s a
good bet a few tears will be shed during the
speeches extolling the career of one of Colorado’s most highly respected lawmen.
Humble and self-effacing to the end,
Robinson, 63, a native of western Pennsylvania, said this week that he would rather talk about “the outstanding men and
women I’ve been blessed to work with than
about myself.”
Pressed to reflect on his career, the sher-

iff said, “The last 42 years have been a wonderful adventure. I come from a family of
teachers with a long history of community
service. I always had a mindset of having a
career with a purpose and the opportunity
to make a difference in the
lives of others.”
Robinson was accepted
into the Littleton Police
Academy at age 21, and
he said, “I’ve never looked
back. Serving as a public
safety officer is all I’ve ever
wanted to do.”
After working for the
Robinson
Littleton police department
for 20 years, Robinson joined the Arapahoe
County Sheriff’s Office as a captain and
worked as division commander of investigations before eventually being appointed
undersheriff by then-Sheriff Pat Sullivan.
In 2001, when Sullivan resigned before
his final term was complete, Robinson was
appointed sheriff. He was first elected in
November 2002 and then re-elected by wide
margins in 2006 and 2010.

WALCHER NAMED NEW SHERIFF
The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners on
Jan.28 unanimously appointed
Undersheriff David Walcher to
replace Sheriff Grayson Robinson
effective Feb.1, praising his leadership, confidence and passion.
“I feel very strongly about the
continuity of keeping this county
moving forward with as little
interruption as possible, “ said
Commissioner Rod Bockenfeld.
Walcher
Walcher said he appreciates
the confidence they have placed
in him.
“Recent events have shown we need good people in
these positions, and you have a great department,” he
said. “I will not disappoint you.”

Tragedy before transition
The sheriff, who is term-limited, announced his intention to retire late last year
as part of what he called a “deliberate and

well-considered succession plan.”
Robinson urged Arapahoe County commissioners to appoint his undersheriff, David Walcher, to serve out the remainder of
his term — a suggestion the commissioners
unanimously approved Jan. 28.
Walcher, who has been with the ACSO
since 2009, began his career at the FBI’s
Denver bureau and then he served 21 years
in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Following Robinson’s retirement ceremony, Walcher will be sworn in as Arapahoe
County’s new sheriff.
Unfortunately, just 24 hours after Robinson announced his plans to step down,
the shooting occurred at Arapahoe High
School. So rather than ride off quietly into
the sunset, the sheriff has spent the past six
weeks at the epicenter of a major investigation — and media firestorm.
“It’s been a painstaking and emotional
process,” he said. “We’ve been very busy trying to do the right thing. It’s what the community expects — and deserves.”
Sheriff continues on Page 10

School-safety
hotline bill
gains steam
Legislation would put
state in charge of program
By Vic Vela

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com

During a December 2013 tour given to Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon (center) and Councilmember Ken Lucas (second from left), IKEA manager John Ellis (far left)
explains the various features of the store’s “sustainability model,” which is located near the entrance and highlights energy-saving and environmentally friendly
improvements made to the Centennial store. Courtesy photo

At IKEA, here comes the sun
Centennial store doubles
size of its solar footprint
By George Lurie

glurie@
coloradocommunitymedia.com
In a state where the sun shines more
than 300 days a year, IKEA reached a milestone when the company plugged in and
powered up Colorado’s largest rooftop solar energy system.
Installation of more than 2,000 additional panels for the expanded PV — or
Photovoltaic — solar system began this
past summer and on Jan. 22, the system
became operational.
“We’re finally up and running and
excited to have the largest rooftop solar
energy system in the state,” said store
manager John Ellis. “It’s another example
of IKEA’s commitment to environmental
sustainability.”
When the popular Swedish company

IKEA’s recently expanded solar energy system is
Colorado’s single-largest rooftop solar array. Photo
courtesy of IKEA
that designs and sells ready-to-assemble
furniture as well as appliances and home
accessories first opened in Centennial
two and a half years ago, the store made
a point of emphasizing its commitment to

operating in an environmentally friendly
manner.
Walking into the lobby, shoppers are
greeted by a “sustainability model” — a
miniature version of the Centennial store
that highlights the various ecologically
conscious and energy-saving measures
the company takes every day.
The new, expanded solar system
turned on this week is more than twice as
large as the rooftop solar system that was
in operation from IKEA’s first day in business in Colorado in July 2011.
“We are fortunate to have the roof
space and corporate commitment to
more than double the energy being generated on-site here at the store,” said Ellis.
“We’re proud to make this investment and
to grow our local sustainable footprint.”
Located on 13.5 acres just west of Interstate 25 and north of County Line
Road, the 415,000-square-foot IKEA
Centennial was the company’s first
IKEA continues on Page 10

A chilling irony occurred during a Jan.
23 legislative committee hearing on a
school-safety hotline bill.
At the same time that lawmakers were
hearing testimony, Jefferson County Public Schools was sending out alerts that a
lockout involving some of its schools had
been lifted following reports that police
were investigating a threat at Columbine
High School.
Tom Mauser — whose son Daniel was
killed during the 1999 Columbine massacre — was listening to the testimony from
inside a Senate Education Committee
hearing room, when he received the alerts
on his phone.
“It just goes to show that we have to
continue with our vigilance,” Mauser told
committee members.
Nothing came of the threats the day
of the committee hearing. But what happened at Columbine High School 15 years
ago is exactly what the Safe2Tell Hotline
was intended to prevent.
Since 1999, the hotline has operated
as an anonymous way for students to notify law enforcement of potential campus
threats.
But the nonprofit-backed hotline is at
risk of shutting down due to a lack of funding. Because of that, lawmakers want the
state take over operations for a program
that they believe has been successful in
thwarting several school tragedies.
“Rarely in government do we get an opportunity to adopt something that’s working,” said Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs.
Cadman and Senate President Morgan
Carroll, D-Aurora, are co-sponsors of Senate Bill 2, which would transfer operations
School continues on Page 10

Printed on recycled newsprint.
Please recycle this copy.

2-Color

2 Centennial Citizen

January 31, 2014

Burnham bowing out of housing authority
Retires after 35
years with SMHO
By Jennifer Smith

jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
With two major projects drawing to a
close, South Metro Housing Options Executive Director Dan Burnham has decided it’s
time to call it a day, announcing he’ll retire
as of May 15.
“We’ve got a really, really strong staff
right now, and the agency is in a really good
place, so I think it’s a good time,” said Burnham, 63.
He’ll stay long enough to likely see the
Powers Circle Apartments fully leased, a
project he says he’s quite proud of. Built in
1961, SMHO is completely renovating the
69 units and offering them as affordable
housing thanks to a public/private partnership.
The project represents a $7 million reinvestment in the northeast neighborhood, something that’s been so important
to Burnham that he moved his own offices
there. SMHO renovated an empty building
at Littleton Boulevard and Bannock Street,
where many of the agency’s clients live
nearby.
“This is an area we really wanted to make
an investment in,” he said. “What better way
to do it than to show we want to be here?”
The other big project that he’ll see the

end of is the new, expanded community room at Amity Plaza, which provides
sliding-scale housing for seniors and the
disabled. Also serving seniors is the Libby
Bortz Assisted Living Center, which he believes to be the first such center ever built by
a housing authority.
“I’m proud of all our housing,” he said.
“It’s not the housing of last resort, it’s the
housing of first choice.”
It’s that attitude that has created a successful career for Burnham since 1979,
when he first started at Amity as a project
coordinator on his climb up to the helm in
2003.
“Dan has been a constant source of energy and creativity for South Metro Housing Options,” said SMHO board chair Andy
Hancock. “His motto of `providing a hand
up instead of a hand out’ has been his guiding philosophy. His impact on the city and
state will be felt for many years to come.”
One project Burnham wishes had happened never did after neighbors argued
against its proposed density. Emerald Point,
west of Progress Park, would have been 40
units in nine buildings, plus a community
center, on a site that used to have just two
houses.
“I really felt like that would a been a jewel
in the crown, so to speak, but we’ll move on
and do something else. … Maybe someday
it will get built, but not there. I can appreciate that they don’t want more density, and
we really wanted to be good neighbors.”
Upcoming challenges for whoever re-

Dan Burnham, executive director of South Metro Housing Authority, announced he will retire this spring. Photo by
Jennifer Smith
places him will continue to be funding, he
said, plus the lack of space to build new
facilities in built-out Littleton. The next executive director will need to be creative and
have a clear vision, he said.
“And they’ll have to care about the people, because that’s really why we’re here,”
he said. “The residents are my greatest joy,
and sometimes a challenge, but you really
get to know them and where’s they’re coming from.
Up next for him is traveling and spend-

ing more time with his three kids, four
grandsons and the new grandbaby that’s
on the way. He’ll also continue to volunteer
with the annual Carousel of Music and the
Littleton Transportation Network, which is
looking at alternative ways to fund the city’s
Omnibus.
“It’s been a good run,” he said. “When
I first started, I didn’t really have a career
plan, but I don’t think I could have chosen
anything I would like better. And I think
that’s a good way to go out.”

• Child-centered Programming
• Traditional School Calendar
• Out of District Students Welcome!
Options:
Half-day Programs
Tuition-based Extended Day Programs
Free Full Day Programs at some locations
For more information:
call your neighborhood school
or 303-347-3334

Visit www.littletonpublicschools.net

Could it have been predicted?
It’s a question many people ask after a
tragedy like the recent murder at Arapahoe High School that ended with the gunman taking his own life, and it’s a tough
one for even mental-health professionals
to answer.
“We know we need to talk to our kids
about things like drugs, sex and drinking,”
said Dr. Barbara Becker, director of community programs for Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network. “But it didn’t
dawn on me that I needed to be talking
to my kids about suicide until my youngest daughter started losing friends to suicide.”
It’s especially important here in Colorado, which consistently ranks in the top
10 states with the highest suicide rates,
according to research compiled by A/
DMHN. In 2011, 910 people died by their
own hand here, more than by homicide
and car crashes combined. That year,
suicide was the second-leading cause of
death for Coloradans ages 10 to 34.
Why us?
It’s a question on the lips of many who
live here, and even others looking in from
outside. Becker said there is research being done on whether altitude plays a role,
as several mountain states are in the top
10. Other possibilities include lack of resources in rural areas, a tendency for
Westerners to have a “go-it-alone” attitude, and access to lethal means. Also,
because Colorado is an attractive state to
move to, newcomers might feel isolated
before establishing a social circle.
But in the end, nobody knows for sure,
said Becker.
“I wish that I had the answer,” she said.

“But there is a lot of energy that is being
directed toward suicide prevention and
research. I have a lot of hope, but the reality is this field is relatively new. Things
that we thought we knew 20 years ago, it
turns out that we don’t.”
Perhaps most telling is that more than
90 percent of people who die by suicide
have a diagnosable mental disorder that
went unknown, ignored or untreated.
Becker acknowledges that it can be a
difficult thing to acknowledge a loved one
might be feeling suicidal or otherwise be
mentally unstable, but it’s important to
reach out.
“People who are feeling like they want
to hurt themselves can feel a sense of relief if somebody does talk to them about
it,” she said. “Just knowing that somebody
cared enough to actually ask might be
enough.”
The best way to find out if somebody is
suicidal is simply to ask the direct question, says Becker.
But when?
“If in your gut you are feeling that you
really need to make sure, then ask,” she
said. “At the same time, you don’t want
to completely overreact, either. It’s a fine
balance, but you need to pay attention to
all the clues that are out there. … I believe
very much in the gut feeling.”
Watch for patterns in changes in sleeping or eating habits, social withdrawal,
decreased energy, slipping grades, giving
away prized possessions, high-risk behavior or joking about suicide. And remember that it’s better to err on the side of caution, says Becker.
“Getting professional advice doesn’t
mean they’re crazy, it means they’re taking care of themselves,” she said. “I think
we could all benefit from having a neutral
party to talk to.”

SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (18 mos – 8th grade)
Caring for our community, sharing the love of Christ

OPEN HOUSE

January 26, 2-4 pm

7691 S. University Blvd., Centennial 303-798-0711 www.ShepherdHills-School.org
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Shepherd of the Hills Christian School admits students of any race, color, or national or
ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made
available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or
national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies,
scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

3-Color

Centennial Citizen 3

January 31, 2014

The novelty of the Bud Bowl
Remember the Bud Bowl?
If not, you missed out because it was way cool. It
was this stop motion animated Super Bowl advertising
campaign that matched Bud versus Bud Light for the
ultimate beer supremacy.
The ad campaign even incorporated celebrities from
the sports world, with Bob Costas, Terry Bradshaw and
Tom Landry providing character voice-overs. The Bud
Bowl was a blast — well except when they jumped the
shark by introducing players from the Bud Dry and Bud
Ice teams. Lame.
I even won money on some of the Bud Bowls — well,
except in 1991, when I was dumb enough to parlay a Bud
Light win with the team the Harlem Globetrotters were
playing that night. Lousy, stupid Washington Generals!
While the Bud Bowl is a thing of the past, this year’s
Super Bowl is bringing a new — and literal — interpretation to the Bud Bowl. It pits teams from the two states
where marijuana is legal: Colorado and Washington.
So, the Broncos will be taking on the Seahawks in the
new and improved Bud Bowl. And the novelty is not lost
on Colorado lawmakers who passed legislation last year
that regulates the newly created marijuana industry.
“I think it would be funny if instead of Peyton Manning saying, ‘Omaha. Omaha. Omaha,’ he says, ‘Mile
high. Mile high. Puff, puff, pass,’ “ said state Rep. Joe
Salazar, D-Thornton. “Then I’d probably crack up.”
See, I’m not the only one who appreciates the uniqueness of the game this weekend.
And can you imagine what the Super Bowl ads are
gonna look like for the big game?
After voters passed a tax structure for marijuana sales
in November, Gov. John Hickenlooper tweeted about
marijuana, Cheetos and Goldfish. It’s perfect fodder for
commercials during a game where a lot of people will
be sitting around, watching football, eating Doritos and

getting — legally — stoned.
Rep. Johnathan Singer, D-Longmont, sponsored the
bill that placed a 25 percent tax on retail marijuana sales
in Colorado. Singer — who was hilarious during marijuana committee hearings last year, with his punchy pot
quips — is fully aware of the novelty of the Bud Bowl.
“I finally
understand
how dumb
it sounded
when I
was using
all these
bad puns,”
Singer said.
But I’m
curious
whether
lawmakers
will be making any marijuana-themed bets on the game.
You see it all the time during big games — politicians
betting what their state is famous for against what the
other politician’s state is famous for.
House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, said
he won’t be making any pot bets with his Washington
equivalent.
“I have no desire to get it here or try any from Washington,” he said.
I recently spoke with Republican Congressman Mike
Coffman. The former state House and Senate member
said he won’t be making any marijuana bets either.
“I’m sure that there’s going to be some elected official
somewhere that’s going to be trading brownies, or something like that, that are laced with marijuana,” Coffman
said. “But I’m not going to be one of them.”
Singer said he’s planning on making a Super Bowl

NEWS IN A HURRY
Jones District update expected

A development update is expected
sometime next month regarding the
Jones District, 1.8-million-squarefoot, mixed-use project that will be
the city’s single-largest commercial
development. Mary Bliss, Jones’ vice
president of real estate, said this
week that all of the project’s joint
venture and marketing plans “are still
being worked on” but she expects to
be able to announce substantive new
developments in February.
The project’s rezoning and development agreements were approved
by city council on Oct. 7 of last year.
The Jones District is a 42-acre “urban
center” development that cable
and online-university entrepreneur
Glenn Jones plans to build on a large
parcel he owns near East Mineral
Avenue and Interstate 25. Plans were
submitted this past March for the
ambitious project, which could cost
more than $200 million to build out
over a period of 20 to 25 years and
will include commercial, retail and
residential components in buildings
up to 15 stories tall.

Engineering manager honored

Travis Greiman, Centennial’s en-

gineering manager, has been named
a Jennings Randolph International
Fellow by the American Public Works
Association. As one of two International Fellows chosen from a field of
17 from across the country, Greiman
will conduct a study tour to focus on
project implementation strategies
used in Mexico and make a presentation at a prestigious conference to
be held in September in Acapulco,
Mexico.
Greiman’s study will highlight how
four engineering techniques are employed in Mexico: right-of-way acquisition, public outreach, interagency
coordination and winning political
favor. Greiman, who has a bachelor
of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Colorado,
manages the city’s annual $16 million
capital improvements budget and
assists in managing the $10 million
public works operations budget.

Liquor board vacancies

The City of Centennial is currently
accepting applications to fill openings on the Liquor Licensing Authority. The Liquor Licensing Authority is
a quasi-judicial board that conducts
public hearings for local liquor

license applications and violations of
the liquor code within the city. Terms
are for a three-year period. Meetings take place on the first and third
Thursday evening of each month at
the Centennial Civic Center, 13133
E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial, CO
80112. To obtain more information
or applications visit the city website,
www.centennialco.gov, or contact the
city clerk, 303-754-3302. Application
deadline: Feb. 14 at 5 p.m.

Super Sunday Fun Run
The entire family can exercise
before `the big game’ with South
Suburban’s Super Sunday Fun Run
on Sun., Feb. 2 at 10 am. The recreational 5K run/walk takes place along
the scenic Mary Carter Greenway in
Littleton. Friendly dogs on leashes
and strollers are welcome. Check-in
begins at 9 a.m. at the Platte River
Bar and Grill, 5995 S. Santa Fe Drive,
Littleton. Pre-registration race fee is
$25; $30 fee on race day, and includes
timing and race T-shirt. Register
online at www.RunningGuru.com/
Event/SuperSunday. Online registration closes at noon, Jan. 31.
— Compiled by George Lurie

beer bet with a Washington state representative. Singer’s
going to put up a selection of beers from the fine Lyonsbased Oskar Blues brewery.
Congressman Ed Perlmutter, a former state Senator,
recently won a beer bet with a San Diego-based House
member following the Broncos’ win over the Chargers.
But Perlmutter told me that he won’t be betting marijuana. Instead, he’ll be talking smack on behalf of the
Broncos this week and will probably bet another case of
beer with a Washington politico before the big game.
Come on guys. Beer? Really? Get with the program!
Beer is yesterday’s news, here. Colorado’s and Washington’s marijuana legalizations are all over the national
news. How could you not bet weed for the big game?
“For one thing, our taxes are better,” Singer said. “The
same amount equivalent-wise is not going to be cost
equivalent.”
That has to be the coolest and most cerebral argument against making Super Bowl marijuana bets with
the state of Washington — because ours is better and
cheaper.
“Also, just as a (Public Service Announcement), it still
is federally illegal to be mailing this stuff,” Singer said. “I
know there’s going to be a lot of PSA’s that we’re going to
have to do in New York to remind the fans in Washington
and Colorado that you can’t take it with you.”
So forget about any marijuana betting during the Bud
Bowl, folks. More importantly — Go Broncos!
Vic Vela covers the Legislature for Colorado Community
Media. He can be reached at vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Also, follow Vic on Twitter: @VicVela1.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
SPORTS PROGRAM
WON $1,000
YOU COULD TOO!

“ Children’s Hospital Colorado
Sports Program (HSP) has
provided children with various
physical disabilities with
opportunities to experience success
in outdoor recreational activities.”

Learn more online at:

www.childrenscolorado.org

At Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric, we give
$1,000 every month to a local charity or nonprofit
nominated by YOU! We’ve contributed more than
$95,000 over the past 9 years with our monthly
giveaway, and we’re still at it...making a difference
where it matters most, close to home. Nominate
your favorite local charity or nonprofit to win at
www.ApplewoodFixIt.com.

SKI MORE
SPEND LESS

EXTRA! EXTRA!
Have a news or business story idea? We'd love to read all about it. To send us your news and business press releases
please visit coloradocommunitymedia.com, click on the Press Releases tab
and follow easy instructions to make submissions.

Now offering Driving with Care® DUI classes.
DUI Level II Education Mondays, 5pm-7pm
& DUI Level II Therapy Groups, Tuesdays, 5pm-7pm
Please note, at this time, the classes are not set up to take clients who must participate in Interlock (ignition breathalyzer).

For more information or to enroll, call 303 730 8858
Providing a full spectrum of mental health services across the south metro area.

When it comes to skiing, one day is
never enough. Justify that extra day
(or two) and enjoy great savings with
our Stay More, Play More package.
Plus, with our on-site chairlift you’ll be
bed-to-mountain in no time.

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Gov. John Hickenlooper and state lawmakers unveiled a package of bills on Jan.
23 that is “aimed at improving Colorado’s
ability to mitigate and fight wildfires.”
However, Hickenlooper and legislators
spent most of a Capitol press conference
answering questions having to do with
wildfire mitigation options that are not
part of the eight bills that were introduced.
The bills do not include key recommendations made by the governor’s own wildfire task force committee, including ones
that place fees and building code mandates on homeowners who reside in areas
where a high potential for wildfires exists.
And the package does not address the
creation of a state firefighting fleet. The
governor’s office says the issue needs more
work. But a Republican lawmaker who is
sponsoring his own air tanker legislation
said at the same press conference that the
time for a wildfire fleet is now.
“I believe that wildfire is a clear and

present danger to Colorado and we need to
take action,” said Sen. Steve King, R-Grand
Junction.
The governor insists that the bipartisan
pieces of wildfire legislation
that were introduced on Jan.
23 will go a long
way in combatting a growing
Report
threat
facing
the state.
“I think with this year we will continue
to raise the ante and try to dedicate more
resources up front to try to get to these fires
sooner,” Hickenlooper said.
The bills deal with a variety of areas
aimed at wildfire prevention. They include
giving the governor the ability to provide
financial assistance without a federal disaster declaration; and allowing county
governments more autonomy in putting
bans on agricultural burning during periods of high fire danger and to clamp down
on summer fireworks.
Bills also deal with the creation of the
wildfire information and resource center
and a grant program that seeks to increase
local firefighter safety. Another bill would
allow firefighters who are killed while com-

Capitol

batting wildfires to collect death benefits.
The governor’s office also touted Hickenlooper’s role in launching a pilot program that allows agencies across the West
to work collaboratively to reduce wildfire
risks. The governor is also calling on the
U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide
federal dollars for tree-thinning efforts in
Western forests.
But the bills that were introduced on
Jan. 23 will not include key recommendations that were made by the governor’s
wildfire task force, prior to the state of the
legislative session.
They included recommendations that
lawmakers take up measures that would
impose fees on properties that reside in the
Wildland Urban Interface, where homes sit
in close proximity to terrain where there is
a high potential for wildfires. Also, there are
no pieces of legislation that would require
homeowners living in those areas to create
defensive spaces in front of their homes,
or that would create a statewide building
code, as were also recommended by Hickenlooper’s task force.
Instead, lawmakers are proposing legislation that offers homeowners tax credits
as a way of enticing them to take up their
own mitigation efforts.
“If that doesn’t work, we will revisit any

ideas that were brought forth by the task
force,” said Sen. Jeanne Nicholson, DBlack Hawk.
Hickenlooper added that people living
in those areas already know the risks.
“We don’t have to lean on them with a
heavy shoulder,” Hickenlooper said.
It also doesn’t appear that a proposed
firefighting fleet will get off the ground any
time soon.
Last year, lawmakers created legislation
that would go toward creating an air fleet,
but it went unfunded.
Hickenlooper — concerned by the potentially enormous cost for the state to
pay for its own firefighting fleet — said he
prefers a “shared fleet,” one where Western
states chip in on the operating costs.
But Hickenlooper said that, so far,
neighboring states have expressed concern
“that the benefit doesn’t justify the cost.”
King, who has pushed hard for a firefighting fleet, said he believes “there is an
opportunity to deal with this.”
When asked whether he supports the
wildfire legislation bills, King offered tepid
support.
“They’re a step in the right direction,”
King said.

GOP lawmakers urge action on firefighting fleet
By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A day after Gov. John Hickenlooper touted wildfire legislation that was introduced
last week, Republicans state lawmakers
held a press conference, where they urged
the governor to back a revived effort to get
the state to buy its own aerial firefighting
fleet.
Sen. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, introduced a bill on Jan. 24 that would re-

quire the state to lease aircraft designed to
fight fires, including the immediate purchase of three Type 1 helicopters.
The day before, Hickenlooper – who
was joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that included King – told reporters
that he wasn’t ready to support King’s legislation, based on the logistical complexities
involved with the state operating its own
fleet, including the hefty price tag of such
an undertaking.
But King, flanked by other Republican

The Littleton Symphony

lawmakers and fire officials, said he doesn’t
understand why Hickenlooper isn’t fully on
board with his effort.
“I gotta tell you, I laugh a little bit at the
pushback I’m getting on this legislation,”
said King.
King pursued similar legislation last
year, which culminated in a state study of
the issue that is expected to be released in
the spring.
The press conference came on the heels
of Hickenlooper’s support of several measures aimed at wildfire prevention and
mitigation. The eight bills have bipartisan
sponsorship and should get plenty of support through the legislative process.
Republican lawmakers were careful to
not be too critical of the governor’s wild-

fire mitigation efforts. Sen. Ellen Roberts,
R-Durango, and Rep. Frank McNulty, RHighlands Ranch, said Hickenlooper has
shown good leadership in protecting the
state from the threat of wildfires.
“But I don’t understand Gov. Hickenlooper’s opposition to the state maintaining these rapid response vehicles, airplanes
and helicopters that have been proven to
work; that have saved lives; that have saved
homes and have saved communities,” McNulty said.
During the same press conference,
Republicans introduced other pieces of
legislation related to wildfire mitigation,
including a bill from Roberts that would
update the state’s emergency radio system.

Presents

bill advances
Great Stories in Music Wage-theft
Act aims to help workers
The Fantastic Story
of Peer Gynt

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A bill that would create a governmental
process that deals with workers’ claims of
wage theft cleared its first legislative hurdle
on Jan. 22, a year after similar legislation
failed.
The issue can affect those who work in
contract labor positions and industry service employees, such as restaurant wait
staff, according to testimony heard in the
Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Wage Protection Act aims to protect those workers who feel they are being shortchanged in wages. Under the bill,
workers can file claims of missed wages
through a Department of Labor administrative process.
Sen. Jessie Ulibarri, D-Commerce City,
told the Senate Judiciary Committee that
the bill gives workers more resources by
which they are able to claim unpaid wages.
“When folks work a long hard day and
expect to be paid, they should be paid,”
Ulibarri said.
Ulibarri told the committee that the
Department of Labor receives thousands
of calls from workers each year who claim
their employers owe them money.
“The resolution most people get is to call
an attorney, go through small claims court,
or figure it out on your own,” he said. “Most
folks are intimidated by that process.”
Under the bill, the new administrative
process calls for the Department of Labor
to investigate wage claim thefts of up to
$7,500. If the department determines that a
wage violation has occurred, the employer
has 14 days to respond to the decision, or

else face fines.
The bill also allows for an appeal process
for employers who are deemed to be in violation through the administrative process.
Last year’s version of the bill included
criminal penalties on employers who were
found to have been involved in wage violations. Business came on board with this
year’s attempt after the criminalization aspect was removed from the legislation.
The bill received mixed testimony.
Chuck Saxton of the Bennett-based
Saxton Construction, a supporter of the
legislation, said he has heard stories from
workers who claim that other employers
cheated them out of paychecks.
“Our laws are supposed to be a reflection of our morality,” he said, speaking in
favor of the bill.
However, the Colorado Restaurant Association has come out against the bill. Nick
Hoover, a spokesman for the organization,
said that most complaints that workers file
regarding alleged wage theft are the result
of “simple confusion over payroll procedures.”
Hoover also said that the proposed administrative process would lead to “punitive costs” for employers on matters that
can typically be handled in-house.
“I haven’t spoken to a restaurant that
hasn’t been able to handle this in a face-toface conversation,” Hoover said.
Sen. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, said
the legislation is unnecessary and that the
current grievance process works without
government intervention.
“I do not believe that the benefit of this
legislation outweighs the cost,” he said.
The bill passed the Democrat-controlled
committee following a 3-2 party line vote.
It now heads to the Senate Finance Committee, before it receives a full vote in the
Senate.

I-News at Rocky Mountain PBS
More Coloradans are receiving food
assistance today than during the worst
months of the Great Recession.
Since 2007, the number of people receiving benefits from the Supplemental
Nutritional Assistance Program — formerly known as food stamps — has more
than doubled.
An average of 508,200 residents qualified for SNAP dollars each month during
2013, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.
This year the state predicts that an additional 44,000 Coloradans will sign up
for help in putting food on the table. But
the available assistance is limited. The
average SNAP household of 2.5 people
receives about $300 a month, according
to government figures, or $10 a day.
“The big challenge right now is in
November food stamp benefits were reduced when the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009’s temporary
boost ended,” said Michelle Ray, spokes-

woman for the advocacy group Hunger
Free Colorado.
The dollar deduction means some
families are sacrificing nutritional food
like milk and produce for cheaper, less
healthy alternatives, Ray said.
In some cases food banks have
stepped in to help.
“We don’t care if they get food stamps,
a lot of people just need help” said Vic
Ocana, executive director of Compassion Food Banks. He said Compassion’s
nine locations in Colorado all report
growing lines for food distribution since
last fall.
“We try to give them enough food for
the month but people are more anxious
for help now,” Ocana said.
In recent years the SNAP program has
become caught up in political infighting
in Washington, with House Republicans
wanting to cut benefits in the name of
reducing government spending, while
Senate Democrats, among others, argue that the program is important in the
fight against hunger.
In Colorado, about 40 percent of
“working age” SNAP users, those 16 to
65, were employed as of June 2013.
“Seeing one person abusing the system ruins it for everyone else,” said

Andrea Fuller, executive director of the
monthly newspaper Denver VOICE, of allegations that the program is sometimes
misused. “For the majority of people on
SNAP it’s humiliating and humbling.”
Before getting her position with
VOICE in November, Fuller said she relied on SNAP benefits to help feed her
family.
“Even working multiple part-time
jobs I wasn’t earning enough,” Fuller
said.
In 2011 she enrolled in the SNAP program.
“It’s one thing for me to be hungry, but
I can’t bear to see my children hungry.”
Many SNAP users just aren’t earning
enough to feed themselves and their
families, Fuller said.
Others need government assistance
after losing a job.
Some are disabled. The population
is diverse, Fuller said, and “not enough
people have enough income right now.”
Communication from the state can
be confusing for SNAP users, Fuller said,
and attempting to contact a caseworker
can be “frustrating” in that it can take
several days.
Keeping up with the rapid increase in
SNAP participants has been a challenge

for offices across the state, especially in
rural areas, acknowledged Sue McGinn,
director of the state’s food and energy
division.
One problem — in which 5 percent of
Coloradans on SNAP were accidentally
overpaid by the state and then forced
to pay back the money — has been addressed, McGinn said.
In July, the state will implement new
software that should improve communication.
“The program has never had a 100
percent increase in participants in such
a short amount of time,” she said. “Colorado’s participation rate is still low compared to other states. We tend to be in
the bottom five when ranked nationally.”
State officials remain skeptical that
SNAP participation rates will return to
2007 levels any time soon.
“Once the economy gets better I’m
not expecting a huge shift back,” McGinn said. “We’re just seeing the stabilization of the program.”
I-News is the public service journalism
arm of Rocky Mountain PBS. To read more,
please go to inewsnetwork.org. Contact
Adrian D. Garcia at garcia.d.adrian@
gmail.com

Ridgeview pond turning into a puddle
Drought claiming
another victim
By Jennifer Smith

jsmith@
colorado
communitymedia.com
Ralph Dergance watches
the pond behind his home
dry up with a sense of melancholy.
“You could ice skate and
fish it once upon a time,” he
said of the Ridgeview Park
pond.
But today the fish are
in danger of dying and the
water level is dropping
daily. It’s in the same boat
as Ketring Lake and, in fact,
many of Littleton’s bodies
of water, most of which depend on the High Line Canal for sustenance.
“With
the
drought,
many ponds have been affected by the lack of water,
including the pond in Ridgeview Park,” explains Jim
Priddy, director of parks
and open space for South
Suburban Parks and Recreation District.
But what Dergance is
having trouble understanding is how several small private ponds upstream from
Ridgeview Park are plenty
full, when in the past the

canal water has flowed
through them into the
pond behind his house.
“The real question I have
is, why have SSPRD and the
City of Littleton acted on
behalf of very few private
ponds while doing nothing
for the property that you
are supposed to manage
and protect for all of the
citizens of Littleton?” he
wrote in an email to Priddy.
Priddy explains that
Denver Water controls the
flow of water in the High
Line Canal.
“From the canal, the water flows downstream and
cascades into several upper
ponds, all of which are privately owned,” he said. “It is
our understanding that the
property owners have High
Line Canal water rights. The
pond nearest to Ridgeview
Pond has a private spring,
and the owners were able
to allow any overflow to go
into Ridgeview Pond.”
But the canal ran for less
than a week last fall, and
the private spring dried up
at the same inopportune
time.
“South Suburban has
looked at options for filling the pond, but as far as
it can determine, it doesn’t
have the water rights for
Ridgeview Pond,” said Prid-

dy. “South Suburban also
has hired a water attorney
to investigate how water
might be obtained for the
pond.”
One option was to fill
it from a hydrant, as they
did with Ketring Lake last
September. But that water is potable and would
have to be dechlorinated
to avoid killing whatever
fish are left, at a cost of at
least $11,000. Additionally, SSPRD is mandated by
Denver Water to reduce its
outdoor water usage by at
least 20 percent.
“South
Suburban’s
board is concerned about
the precedent it would set
to spend taxpayer dollars to
fill, and possibly keep refilling, the pond every year,”
said Priddy.
Denver Water has indicated it is likely that the
High Line Canal will run
this spring and advised
Priddy to wait until spring
to see what happens.
“We understand the
strong connection between
residents and their neighborhood parks, and the
important role parks, including Ridgeview, play in
the community,” he said.
“Parks are a treasured amenity, and South Suburban
strives to maintain and

manage parks to the best of
its ability so residents can
reap the benefits.”
Dergance
feels
like
SSPRD could do more.
“South Suburban has
failed to recognize that by
not getting water into the
pond in Ridgeview Park it
is, in fact, ruining a public
recreation site that is used
and enjoyed by many of our
residents versus the private
ponds that are enjoyed only
by their owners. … I truly
appreciate all SSPRD has
done for Ridgeview Park
over the years. It is a joy
having it in my back yard. I
can only hope that you will
finish the job correctly and
provide the water essential
to the survival of Ridgeview
Park.”

By Tom Munds

tmunds@
coloradocommunitymedia.com
A squirrel took a long, unexpected
crosstown ride but now roams free thanks
to the efforts of Englewood police officers
and firefighters.
The squirrel apparently climbed under
a fender of a car owned by a woman who
lives in the Mile High Stadium neighborhood.
“The woman saw the squirrel and tried
to get it out from under the fender but even
squirting it with a hose didn’t work,” Englewood Police Sgt. Brian Cousineau said of

the event. “She left it alone, hoping it would
get out of the fender area on its own.”
Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, and
when the woman drove to work in Englewood, she saw the squirrel was still under
her fender and called police.
Cousineau said Englewood Officer John
Hoehler was able to see the squirrel and attempted to reach up and get it out of the
fender area.
“That didn’t work because apparently
the squirrel was trapped by the springs that
are part of the suspension,” Cousineau
said. “Officer Hoehler called the fire department, they lifted the car up to take the
load off the wheels and the officer was able
to get the squirrel out.”
Cousineau said the squirrel wasn’t injured and, when the officer released it, the
furry animal scampered across the grass
and disappeared into a nearby tree.

Police free trapped squirrel
Officers and firefighters
work together on rescue

Chadron State College’s Geoscience
Program is now Online

The South Metro Denver SBDC is an SBA partner that
helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses
through low-cost workshops and free consulting

To register visit
www.SmallBusinessDenver.com
and request a Consulting Appointment

303-771-9000
The South Metro Denver Small Business Development Center is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Support given by the U.S. Small
Business Administration through such funding does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of any of the co-sponsors' or participants' opinions products or
services. The Colorado SBDC is a partnership between the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the U.S. Small Business Administration,
Colorado's institutions of higher education, and local development organizations.

www.SmallBusinessDenver.com

(303) 795-0142

6-OPINION

6 Centennial Citizen

January 31, 2014

opinions / yours and ours

Numbers another bright spot for economy
Perhaps it wasn’t an earthshaking news
item, but some welcome numbers nonetheless. A report released earlier this month
noted Colorado realized a 54 percent drop
in foreclosure activity last year, with a rate
of 1 for every 2,577 housing units at the end
of 2013 — and nationally the comparison
shows a 26 percent drop.
The report by RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosed properties, shared its
bright figures, which were not unexpected
results but progressing faster than expected,
at least according to Jefferson County public
trustee Margaret Chapman.
Chapman, like other officials in Colorado
counties, has been tracking foreclosures
for the better part of a decade, and we like
her comment noting the country is finally
getting rid of the ill-considered loans written

our view
in 2005 when borrowers “had to do little to
show income.”
Well, we are getting rid of several effects
related to easy money home loans that
contributed to the housing bubble bust. We
wrote stories through the years about the
extra work involved for police to keep an eye
on vacant properties, which can be targets
for theft, vandalism or teen gatherings.
This is tough on neighborhoods, so we are
pleased to get rid of the problems associated
with vacant home pockets here and there.

letter to the editor
‘Our View’ not my view

Last week’s editorial, “Time for
major immigration reform,” suggests
that those who have come here illegally deserve amnesty via the S. 744
bill. And Amnesty is what the Gang of
Eight and bill S.744 is really all about.
No one should be deceived about what
“comprehensive immigration reform”
means, other than giving amnesty to
an estimated 12 million illegal aliens.
How is it that the United States
government should serve as the world’s
largest employment agency providing
“needed” workers to businesses that no
longer feel the need to fairly compensate American workers? Why is it OK
to create a permanent underclass of
low-skilled workers at low wages who
ultimately require additional public
assistance to get by?
And why should anyone believe that

immigration laws will be enforced and
our borders be secured? S. 744 is exactly the same “comprehensive immigration reform” package the American
public was sold in 1986. Now 27 years
later, the Gang of Eight is pushing to
legalize at least four times the number
of people who received amnesty under
the 1986 bill.
Adding tens of millions of lowskilled and heavily governmentdependent immigrants to the country
increases competition for scarce jobs,
reduces wages, and increases the
burden of welfare. Our immigration
system isn’t “broken.” America is a
land of laws, and anyone who wants to
become a citizen is welcome to do so.
But do it through legal means.
Ken Hurd
Parker

Of course the impact to the undercurrents to the economy have been even more
severe.
The foreclosures caused serious reductions in the value of homes. We know it
doesn’t take a wide circle of friends to find
someone who bought a house and got
caught in the downturn and felt saddled for
the long-term with “upside down” mortgages.
Now the loose loan practices of the past
have dried up in many ways and made it
tougher for some wanting to buy homes, but
the tightening had to happen. This effect and
the downturn of the economy in 2008 made
it in turn tough for many businesses looking
for loans to advance their businesses. Businesses certainly suffered, and we reported
the related double trouble of unemployment

and foreclosures on many families.
Having covered the problems under the
dark clouds of foreclosures, we are glad to
see the numbers give hints for an improving,
more stable economy. We hope legislation
passed by the Statehouse in recent years
to address predatory lending and federal
mechanisms will help to prevent the country
from finding itself in the same jam.
We are happy to leave visions of boarded
up buildings behind. Colorado has a lot
going for it. We see good signs. For one, the
battered construction industry is seeing
more housing and office projects in the
works. And Forbes magazine recently ranked
Colorado as the fifth best state for business,
and predicted strong growth.
It’s been a slow turning, but we enjoy every sign that the economy is turning around.

The mystery of personal
and professional growth
I really do enjoy a good mystery. It
could be a great novel or movie or just
watching the variety of news programs or
shows where we get to explore along with
the journalists and public intrigued by
mystery and the possibilities of observing a Bigfoot, The Loch Ness Monster, a
giant squid, ghosts, extra-terrestrials, or
some other type of enigmatic predator or
anomalous event.
Mysteries just seem to capture my attention. And one of the greatest mysteries I encounter on an all too frequent
basis is this: why is it that when people
who are looking to make a change for the
better continue doing the same things
over and over again and expect different
results. As we all know, this is one definition of insanity.
Whether we are just embarking on
the pursuit of a worthy goal or objective in our lives, or we have gotten to a
place where we have plateaued and feel
stuck, we need to recognize that we can
still reach higher, see farther, and elevate
our performance at almost everything
we are striving for in our lives or wish to
accomplish.
For some, it’s just being in their
comfort zone and becoming so settled
that complacency has usurped desire.
And this is where we get caught up in
the trap of doing the very same things
that we have always done. And maybe
even worse, we have begun taking short
cuts because we are just too settled and
comfortable with where we are right
now. Did you catch that line earlier in the

We welcome event listings and other submissions.
News and Business Press releases Please visit
centennialcitizen.net, click on the Submit Your News tab
and choose a category from the drop down menu.
Calendar calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Military Notes militarynotes@coloradocommunitymedia.com
school accomplishments, honor roll and dean’s list
schoolnotes@coloradocommunitymedia.com
sports sports@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Obituaries obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com
to subscribe call 303-566-4100

paragraph, “… complacency has usurped
desire?” Is that your situation?
Life is so full of mysteries and the
world is full of unexplainable phenomena that pique our curiosity and leave
us wanting to know more. And as we
indulge in the exploration of the mysterious our imagination becomes accelerated and our creativity inspired. What if
we put that same energy into uncovering
or discovering what it is that drives us
to want to succeed in every area of our
lives?
If there is an area of our life where we
have a deep desire to change, one new
technique to attempt can be found in
forcing ourselves to try something new.
Change the routine, the diet, and maybe
even make some changes relative to the
types of people we surround ourselves
with. I recently saw this quote floating
around Facebook, “Surround yourself
with people that make you a better
person.”
You see, the mysterious isn’t really all
Norton continues on Page 7

A publication of

Phone: 303-566-4100 | Fax: 303-566-4098
On the Web: centennialcitizen.net
Columnists and guest commentaries
The Citizen features a limited number of
regular columnists, found on these pages and
elsewhere in the paper, depending on the typical
subject the columnist covers. Their opinions are
not necessarily those of the Citizen.
Want your own chance to bring an issue to our
readers’ attention, to highlight something great
in our community, or just to make people laugh?
Why not write a letter of 300 words or fewer.
Include your full name, address and the best
number to reach you by telephone.

email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

we’re in this together
Our team of professional reporters, photographers
and editors are out in the community to bring you
the news each week, but we can’t do it alone.
Send your news tips, your own photographs, event
information, letters, commentaries... If it happens,
it’s news to us. Please share by contacting us at
news@coloradocommunitymedia.com,
and we will take it from there.
After all, the Citizen is your paper.

7

Centennial Citizen 7

January 31, 2014

Unity feels good: United in Orange
We are going to be happy together or
disappointed together but either way we
are united.
From the star on Castle Rock with the
Bronco colors to the orange jerseys — a
lot of 18’s — to the plates and cupcakes
at my small group from church last
night, we are excited that the home team
is in the Super Bowl after a fantastic
record-setting year.
Unity feels good. The excitement is
contagious. It is possible to meet a complete stranger and strike up a conversation like old friends because there is a
passionate common interest.
I travelled to Tampa Bay for the funeral of one of my lifelong best friends.
My plane arrived in Tampa shortly after
the kickoff of the AFC Championship
Game against the Patriots.
What if my host who is picking me
up at the airport does not like football
or care about the Broncos? They might
stop by Wal-Mart on the way or after we
arrived want to watch the Kardashians
or some ridiculous show like that and I’d
miss the game.
I was experiencing the worst case of
“Fear of Missing Football.” I had a case
of “Fear of Missing the Broncos Make
it to the Super Bowl.” Thankfully it was

convenient for them to pick me up after
the game at 6:30 p.m. EST. I found a nice
restaurant with the game on TV and
quickly made eight new friends. We were
united with at least two common denominators. We liked football and were
rooting for the Broncos so it was easy to
talk, laugh and have fun together.
This type of unity feels especially
good in a world that is fractured into
countless differences and controversies.
Debate and the freedom of expression
is priceless, but do we have to prove our
point every day?
Families, lifestyles, politics, business strategies, economies and plans of
medical treatment have so many options
within them and strong personalities
arguing their opinions that there is little
chance of agreement or experiencing

Music can change a life
I am completely out of it when it comes
to the music that most people listen to.
Nina Simone never shook her rear end on
stage. Bob Dylan doesn’t change costumes
between songs. I don’t listen to anyone who
has backup dancers. The music I listen to
doesn’t come with choreography. A symphony orchestra doesn’t have backup singers or
dancers or any of that nonsense.
Keep your raunchy, topless, motorcycle
video away from me.
“Mr. Smith, aren’t you being a little harsh?
My daughter listens to hip-hop. At least
she is listening to music. You have to start
somewhere. Maybe someday she will get her
head screwed on straight, and find out about
Django Reinhart.”
Django Reinhardt didn’t stick out his
tongue.
But here’s one: Josephine Baker twerked.
Did she ever. And she is still one (or two) up
on Miley Cyrus.
I have said this before: I don’t dance and
I don’t watch dancers. This puts me in a
low percentile. The population is low in the
lower percentile, and it’s my favorite address.
Jennifer and I went to a CU football
game, and we were bombarded with bad
music from the instant we entered the stadium until we left with a hearing loss in the
third quarter. Some people, like restaurant
owners, think that loud music connotes a
good time. I think it connotes a headache.
If you are raised on something, that is
what you know and expect. I wonder what it
would be like to be a teenager who listens to
Katy Perry, and then hears Billie Holiday for
the first time.
Dr. Dre or Nat King Cole? Beyoncé or Ella
Fitzgerald? One Direction or Arcade Fire?
Eminem (featuring Rhianna) or Chopin (featuring Chopin)? Lady Gaga or Lady Day?
Those are easy for me to answer.
Fifty years ago, on Feb. 9, 1964, music
— someone’s music — changed my life. It
was just a couple of months after the Ken-

nedy assassination, and like everyone else, I
needed something to change the way that I
was feeling.
An odd looking and odd sounding man
introduced a band from England. He insisted upon calling them “lads.”
“The broadcast drew an estimated 73
million viewers, at the time a record for US
television, and was characterized by an
audience composed largely of screaming,
hysterical girls in tears.”
Their first song was “All My Loving.”
I didn’t know this until recently: “The act
that followed their first set in the broadcast was pre-recorded, rather than have
someone perform live on stage amidst the
pandemonium that occurred after the group
performed their songs.”
Someone was thinking.
It would have been crazy if ventriloquist Señor Wences had come out live with
Johnny, the face he drew on his hand. Crazy
but wonderful.
Juvenile jealousies caused me to resist
the band at first, because it was all the girls
in my high school talked about.
But after a few months, and now after 50
years, I realize that their music is as important as anything I have ever heard “In My
Life.”
Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and
Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at
craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To add or update a club listing, e-mail
calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

program on subjects ranging from public policy issues to
poetry. Call Pam Hansen at 303-753-0838.

POLITICAL

CENTENNIAL TRUSTED Leads is a professional referral
organization that meets for breakfast at The Egg & I, 6890 S.
University, Centennial, the first and third Thursdays at 7:45
a.m. Call 303-972-4164 or visit www.trustedleads.com

of Centennial to connect and communicate with Mayor Cathy
Noon is every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Civic
Center building located at 13133 E. Arapahoe Road.

PROFESSIONAL
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of University Women, LittletonEnglewood Branch invites baccalaureates to participate in
activities that further the goals of equity for women and girls,
lifelong education and positive societal change. Meetings are
usually Mondays each month, September through May, at
Koelbel Library, Orchard Road and Holly Street, Centennial.
Social time is followed by business meeting and informative

Norton
Continued from Page 6

AREA CLUBS

THE “NOON Hour,” a weekly event that allows the residents

the pleasure and potential of unity.
Our 24-hour news cycles on TV
and Radio feed an insatiable appetite
for controversy. When a sports player
“mouths-off” and causes more controversy the microphones are drawn to the
emotion like bugs are to a light.
I wish I could direct us to the church
as a place where we could find peace
and unity. The message is there. “Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will inherit the earth.” “How good and pleasing it is when brothers dwell together
in unity.” In the earliest days after the
time of Christ the church was united.
They had everything in common and the
world was changed because of how they
loved each other.
We can’t play football all year long
and only one team can be at the top at
the end of the season, so we have to look
to another source for lasting unity and
peace.
Since the message is in the Scriptures
and there was a time when it worked, I
believe the faith community is our greatest hope for meaningful unity.
And I realize that, as an individual
within the faith community, I need to
take responsibility to be part of the solution, not the problem. The older I get

LITTLETON LETIP meets from 7:16-8:31 a.m. every Tuesday
for breakfast at Luciles, 2852 W. Bowles Ave., to exchange
qualified business leads. Call Bob Hier at 303-660-6426 or
e-mail hierb@yahoo.com.
NON-PRACTICING AND Part Time Nurses Association
meets from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each
month at the Southglenn Library, 6972 S. Vine St., Centennial.
All nurses are invited to attend for medical presentations.
Contact: Barbara Karford, 303-794-0354.

that mysterious when it comes to personal and professional growth. And yes I
know, personal development isn’t nearly
as exciting or spectacular as finding Bigfoot, catching a glimpse of the Loch Ness
Monster, or figuring out teenagers, but it
could be. And it is in those moments of
wanting to grow that we can and should
try something new. Something new and

the more I recognize how many times,
in my own insecurity, I was competitive
to people within the faith community.
Instead of reaching a united solution
I saw further division that produced
emotional pain, broken relationships
and a terrible picture of what faith was
all about or could produce.
At my friend’s memorial service I
experienced another dose of the wonderful feeling that comes through unity.
The friend who died was one of three of
my lifelong best friends. We gathered for
a reunion that was emotionally rich and
full. We laughed and cried and in it all
we recognized the immeasurable worth
of friendship that remained strong for
over four decades.
The good feeling of unity is one
small benefit of unity. I’m going to take
responsibility, work and pray that we
experience a Godly unity that extends
far beyond the scope and duration of the
Super Bowl.
Dan Hettinger is author of Welcome to
the Big Leagues and founder of the Jakin
Group, a ministry of encouragement. You
can email him at dan@welcometothebigleagues.org and follow him on Facebook
and Twitter (@Welcome2theBigs).

mysterious that will add excitement,
energy, and desire to the pursuit of our
goals and dreams.
How about you, are you stuck, plateaued, or maybe haven’t even started on
your goal or dream? I would love to hear
all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com
and when you begin to view your goals
with a little bit of mystery and wonder, it
will be a better than good week.
Michael Norton is a resident of Highlands
Ranch, the former President of the Zig
Ziglar Corporation and the CEO/Founder
of www.candogo.com.

Drennen’s Dreams distributes $10K to local nonprofits
Staff report
Drennen’s Dreams, a fund of the Denver
Foundation, distributed a total of $10,000
to benefit six Colorado nonprofits in 2014
thanks to the support of donors and sponsors in the local community.
Drennen’s Dreams was founded in the
fall of 2012 by Bill and Melissa O’Melia after the death of their son, Drennen Peter
O’Melia, who died in a tragic drowning accident at a local community pool in June of
2010.
Nonprofits receiving donations were divided into two categories to match the mission of the organization: swimming pool
safety and youth organizations that support
the leaders of tomorrow.
Organizations that received donations
included: the Mile High Chapter of the
American Red Cross; the Colorado Springsbased National Swimming Pool Foundation; National Drowning Prevention Alliance and its local affiliate the Colorado



ABOUT DRENNEN’S DREAMS
Drennen’s Dreams is a donor-advised fund within the Denver Foundation created in 2012 by Bill and Melissa O’Melia to
honor their son. Its mission is to continue Drennen’s legacy by
promoting pool safety and engaging the greater community
to impact lives through initiatives that inspire well-rounded
individuals and the leaders of tomorrow.
More information about the organization can be found at
www.drennensdreams.org. Donations to Drennen’s Dreams
can be made through the Denver Foundation website at
http://www.denverfoundation.org/donors/page/donate-

Drowning Prevention Alliance; the D’Zone,
a youth center operated by St. Timothy’s
Episcopal Church and named after Drennen; Littleton Youth Sports; and the Littleton Public Schools Foundation.
Some of the funds to the LPS Foundation were designated to the Arapahoe High
School Moving Forward Fund, a fund created to care for Arapahoe High School and its

online.
About Splash Dash
The Splash Dash is a 5K run that begins and ends at Arapahoe High School and winds through the adjacent Southglenn
subdivision. The inaugural run in 2013 had more than 450
runners.
The June 8, 2014 race will be certified and timed, and runners and walkers of all types are invited to participate. For
sponsorship and registration information, please contact Melissa O’Melia at macomelia23@gmail.com or 303-489-7440.

direct community in the wake of the Dec.
13 shooting.
Drennen O’Melia would have been in his
sophomore year at Arapahoe High School,
and many of his closest friends were in the
school that day.
“It is because of the tremendous support
from our community that we are honored
to make these donations,” says Jennifer

Darling, president of Drennen’s Dreams.
“Three of these organizations are working every day to make sure that another
life is not lost in a swimming pool,” Darling
added.
“The other three play a vital role in supporting and developing the youth in our
community. We will continue to honor
Drennen’s legacy through these important
efforts.”
In addition to private donations, a significant portion of funds raised in 2013
were raised through Splash Dash, a 5K run
through the Southglenn neighborhood
where Drennen lived.
In its inaugural year, Splash Dash attracted more than 450 runners and received
tremendous corporate and individual support from the community.
Columbine Federal Credit Union was the
presenting sponsor for the 2013 run, and
the credit union has already committed to
serving as presenting sponsor for the 2014
run to be held on Sunday, June 8.

Plans Gone Astray? To whom will you go when you’re out of ideas?
There are times when we simply need a gracious God to guide us. Come and join us
at 9:30 a.m. Sunday mornings at Lone Tree Civic Center, 8527 Lone Tree Parkway.
For directions and any questions about our ministry, contact Pastor Craig:
(303) 883–7774
Immanuel Lutheran Mission is a member congregation of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ

Lone Tree

Methodist Church




Parker

1200 South Street
Castle Rock, CO 80104
303.688.3047
www.fumccr.org


Services:
 Saturday 5:30pm

Sunday 8am, 9:30am, 11am
Sunday School 9:15am

Little Blessings Day Care
www.littleblessingspdo.com

Chabad

Jewish Center

Douglas County’s only Synagogue,
Hebrew School and Preschool
No membership required
www.DenverJewishCenter.com

To advertise your place
of worship in this section,
call 303-566-4091 or email

kearhart@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com.

9-Color

Centennial Citizen 9

January 31, 2014

ts

s.
workother
rling

supour
onor
rtant

a sig2013
K run
hood

h ateived
sup-

s the
and
ed to
2014

Loud and inbound, the IJet Dream Chaser 4, a Learjet 35, arrives at the International Jet Aviation ramp at Cnetennial Airport on Monday, Jan. 20 to
help grant wishes for a dozen local Make-A-Wish kids. The volunteer project is an effort spearheaded by International Jet employees and partners.
Photos courtesy of Deborah Grigsby Smith

With the sun in her hair and a balloon in her hand, 8-year-old Jamie Crook
of Centennial strikes a pose next to the IJet Dream Chaser 4, a colorful
Learjet 35 that helped grant the wish of a dozen Make-A-Wish kids at
Centennial Airport , Monday, Jan. 20.

CHASING A
The Dream Chaser 4, a rainbow-colored Learjet 35,
departed Centennial Airport on Jan. 20 for a weeklong
tour as part of a special project led by International
Jet Aviation Services to benefit children of Make-AWish Colorado, as well as other Make-A-Wish chapters
in neighboring states. “It’s all part of an effort to give

something back to the community,” said William Milam, International Jet co-founder.
Milam said certain preventive maintenance milestones require the eight-passenger aircraft to be
stripped of its exterior paint, completely inspected and
X-rayed. Prior to the inspection date, he said the air-

craft receives temporary rainbow paint job and is used
to give Make-A-Wish kids a private jet experience and
bird’s eye view of the city. The Dream Chaser project is
a nonprofit volunteer effort supported by International
Jet employees, as well as outside partners and donors
who help cover paint and fuel costs.

Vi at Highlands Ranch is owned by CC-Denver, Inc. and managed by Classic Residence Management Limited Partnership. Classic Residence Management Limited Partnership and CC-Denver, Inc. are separate corporations. CC-Denver,
Inc., d/b/a Vi at Highlands Ranch, is the sole entity responsible for the performance of the continuing care contracts at Vi at Highlands Ranch. CC-Denver, Inc. does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national
origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact the director of human resources, (720) 348-7800/TDD 711.

10-Color

10 Centennial Citizen

January 31, 2014

A STORAGE FACILITY WORTH ITS SALT

Construction of the salt storage dome at the City of Centennial’s Eagle Street Public Works facility has been
completed. The installation of the south entry wall section and the bay door was finished on Jan. 14. The storage dome will hold up to 5,000 tons of salt. Courtesy photo

Sheriff
Continued from Page 1

At nearly every press conference, Robinson has made a point of expressing just how
deeply he has been affected by the death of
Claire Davis, the 17-year-old student who
died in the Dec. 13 shooting at the Centennial high school.
Although Robinson will have no formal
role in the shooting investigation after Jan.
31, he said he’s been “trying really hard to
put in motion what the strategic follow-up
to the investigation will be,” adding that he
wants an independent, third-party analysis
of how the sheriff’s office handled the Arapahoe shooting.

‘A true public servant’

The ACSO has been widely praised for its
speedy reaction to the shooting, including
by Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon.
“It’s truly been a privilege working with
Sheriff Robinson,” said Noon. “His team has
always demonstrated an unwavering com-

The Beautiful

mitment and dedication to the city.”
Robinson also expressed pride in the ACSO’s ongoing partnership with Centennial,
which he characterized as “very effective
and efficient and how government should
be conducted.”
The ACSO has provided law enforcement services in Centennial since the city’s
incorporation in 2001.
“Grayson has been a true public servant,” said Arapahoe County Commissioner
Nancy Doty. “He will be missed by everyone
who has had the pleasure of working with
him.”
Robinson admitted this week that he is
“not ready yet” for a traditional retirement.
“I’ve got one really good adventure left in
me,” he said. “But I don’t know yet what it is
going to be.”
Saying he intends to take the next two
months to “reflect on life,” the sheriff did
confirm that he has no plans to step into the
political arena.
“Whatever I decide to pursue, I can assure you it will not be a position involving
elected office,” he said. “I’ve already had the
best job anyone can be elected to do.”

1
, February
y
a
d
r
u
t
a
S
Opening

and the Deadly

photos by Joe McDonald

State Senate President Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, listens as Thornton Police Chief Randy Nelson testifies in support of
Senate Bill 2. Under the bill, the state would take over the Safe2Tell school hotline, which allows students to anonymously provide tips about potential campus threats. Photo by Vic Vela

School
Continued from Page 1

of the hotline to the Department of Law.
The bill also sets aside $250,000 in hotline
operational costs.
Students can notify authorities via
phone or email of any sort of campus
threats they hear about, including shooting plots and incidents of bullying.
Supporters of the legislation point to
Safe2Tell statistics, which indicate that
from September 2004 through December
2013, the hotline resulted in more than
9,000 tips from students across Colorado.
Gov. John Hickenlooper said during a
pre-session press conference where he
touted the legislation that the hotline re-

IKEA
Continued from Page 1

U.S. store with a geothermal heating and
cooling system.
Drawing from its Swedish heritage,
Ellis said IKEA strives to minimize impacts on the environment. The company
flat-packs goods for efficient distribution, has eliminated plastic bags from the
check-out process and phased out the
use of incandescent light bulbs. Even the
restrooms in the Centennial store are designed to save water.
Mayor Cathy Noon, who along with
Councilmember Ken Lucas toured the
Centennial IKEA last month, applauded
the company’s “ongoing efforts to protect
the resources of our area. It’s a real honor for the city that IKEA has made such
a commitment to sustainability,” Noon
added. “They’ve been such great commu-

ceived reports of 16 planned attacks since
the beginning of the current school year.
Thornton Police Chief Randy Nelson
testified that the hotline is great tool that
gives law enforcement the ability to prevent tragedies, rather than respond to
them. In turn, that gives students better
peace of mind, he said.
“We know very clearly that if those kids
don’t feel safe in the school, they’re not going to learn,” said Nelson.
The bill passed the Senate Education
Committee with unanimous support and
now heads to the Finance Committee for
further consideration. It is expected to sail
through both legislative chambers with bipartisan support.
“This program is too valuable for us not
to do this,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood.

nity partners.”
The new 83,700-square-foot solar addition, which consists of 2,492 solar panels and covers virtually every square inch
of the building’s roof, will produce an additional 961,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store.
The store’s total 1,121-kW solar installation now includes 4,704 panels and
will generate 1,701,000 kWh of clean energy yearly — enough to power nearly 200
homes.
REC Solar, Inc. developed, designed
and installed the customized system.
Ellis said that in 2013, IKEA completed
solar installations atop nearly 90 percent
of its U.S. buildings — “39 out of 44 locations.”
IKEA owns each of its solar PV energy
systems — as opposed to a solar lease
or PPA (power purchase agreement) —
and globally, the company has allocated
$1.8 billion to invest in renewable energy
through 2015.

19 varieties of live turtles, crocodilians, lizards and snakes from
around the world displayed in natural habitats.

sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com
“Painting is about having the courage
to take risks toward an outcome that is
unknown,” says artist Ralph Nagel.
Nagel, who began painting in 1991
while he was still a businessman —
founder and owner of the Meridian Retirement Communities — paints in classic plein air style, in locations near and
far.
He has been invited to display his
if you go
work at the Lone
Tree Arts Center
“Places and Things…
through March 2
An Artist’s Vision,
as part of the Compaintings by Ralph Namissioners’ Choice
gel, will be on display
2014 program and
through March 2 at the
will be on hand to
Lone Tree Arts Center,
meet art lovers at
10075 Commons St.,
a public reception
Lone Tree. Hours: 10
from 5:30 to 7:30
a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays
p.m. Jan. 31.
through Fridays and
His solo exhibit
prior to performances.
is
called
“Places and
Visit www.RalphNagel.
Things — An Artcom for more inforist’s Vision” and it
mation.
will be open 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Mondays
through Fridays in
addition to before Lone Tree Arts Center
performances.
Nagel’s watercolors and oils are characterized by powerful brushstrokes,
complex, subtle palettes of color and
strong contrasts in dark and light.
His onsite sketches in the American
Southwest, Thailand and France have
been developed into large watercolors
and canvases in his Denver studio, re-

The Lone Tree Golf Club & Hotel will
host its second in a series of Tantalizing
Tastes from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 11.
Tantalizing Tastes, a wine edition,
will feature five wines from Lone Tree
Grill’s new wine list, created by Southern Wine & Spirits, and five scrumptious food dishes prepared by executive
chef Joseph Westley, CEC. Lone Tree
Golf Club & Hotel is located at 9808
Sunningdale Blvd., in Lone Tree. Cost
is $30 per person. Reservations are required for this limited seating event.
Call 303-790-0202.

Chocolate lovers

“Blue Roses” watercolor by Ralph Nagel, will be included in his solo show in the Commissioner’s Choice Series, at Lone
Tree Arts Center through March 2. Courtesy photo
taining the spontaneity of those sketches.
The artist has degrees in architecture
and city planning and he co-founded
Studio 208, a group of Colorado artists who painted and exhibited together
from 2004 to 2008.
From 2007 to 2011, he hosted a collaborative teaching space in the River North
Arts District, RINO.
The installation of this exhibit was
designed by Lone Tree’s curator, Sally
Perisho, who is recognized in the Denver
arts community as a curator, writer and

photographer.
Nagel was the 2012 winner of Littleton’s Own an Original Exhibit and held
a solo show at the Littleton Museum in
2013.
His paintings have been exhibited
throughout Colorado and are in collections worldwide.
A philanthropist, he is responsible for
Nagel Art Studios, Nagel Residence Hall
and a collection of paintings by Colorado
artists at the University of Denver, where
he serves on the Board of Trustees.

sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com
They float, they soar, some stand on
the ground — poised to move… They are
created in bright colors with steel and
lighter materials. Barbara Baer of Denver
has provided a lively note to many public
spaces — indoors and out: civic buildings, university and college open areas,
parks and outdoor commercial areas —
in Colorado, across the U.S. and in Germany.
While most of sculptor Barbara Baer’s
focus is on “designing for indoor and
outdoor public spaces,” she is pleased
to be included in the “Transit of Venus,”
exhibit of 60 works by about 24 women
artists displayed at RedLine Gallery in
Denver through Feb. 23.
The exhibiting artists are all part of
Front Range Women in the Visual Arts,
started by a group of artists and graduate
students in Boulder in 1974. When the
group formed, it was difficult for women
to get into shows at museums, galleries
and colleges or to win commissions for
public art — a situation that has changed
greatly in Colorado.
Baer is at the forefront of change
and has created numerous large pub-

“Scatterbrain” acrylic and steel sculpture by Barbara
Baer is included in “Transit of Venus” at Redline Gallery
through Feb. 23. Courtesy photo
lic sculptures, including several in the
south area: “Life in Motion” sails above
the entrance to the Goodson Center in
Centennial; “Open Skies” is suspended
over the corridor at the Littleton Center
that leads to the City Council Chambers;

“Illumination” is on
if you go
the grounds of Pine
Grove Elementary
“The Transit of VeSchool in Parker.
nus” runs through Feb.
She has two large
23 at RedLine Gallery,
abstract pieces, dat2350 Arapahoe St.,
ed 2014, in the RedDenver, www.redlinLine show: “Scateart.org. Gallery hours:
terbrain” of acrylic
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesand steel, has floatdays through Fridays;
ing elements of red,
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturblack and clear madays and Sundays. 303terial in a sculpture
296-4448. Admission
that measures 8 feet
is free.
by 9 feet by 7 feet
and looks as though
it might fly away.
“Waterplay” measures 10 feet by 9 feet
by 7 feet and features a pattern of blue
waves on a clear acrylic base. It too looks
like it’s moving continually.
Baer grew up in southern Louisiana
and first studied in New Orleans at Tulane University, then moved to Colorado, where she received an MFA from
CU Boulder —and connected with Front
Range Women in Visual Arts.
“Transit of Venus” is the first RedLine
show in a year devoted to art by women, collectively called “She Crossed the
Line.”
To follow: Chen Man: March 1 to April
27; Senga Nengudi: June 6 to July 20; Harmony Hammond: Aug. 2 to Sept. 28 and
Judy Chicago: Oct. 10 to Nov. 30.

The place to be on Feb. 8 is at historic
Olde Town Arvada for the city’s 13th annual Taste of Chocolate.
The event celebrates everything
chocolate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sales
of chocolate confection samples will
benefit Ralston House, a child advocacy
and resource center for neglected and
abused children. Among the chocolate
goodies offered: cakes, candies, brownies, fudge, chocolate drinks and more
for just $1 per taste ticket (or six for $5).
Tickets will be available at four locations: Town Square, DiCicco’s, DNote, &
the Arvada Historical Society.
Arvada Festivals Commission and
Historic Olde Town Arvada present the
event, which also features:
• Chocolate treasure hunt: From 11
a.m.-2:30 p.m., complete your treasure
hunt sheet for the chance to win a prize
large enough to satisfy a chocoholic’s
cravings!
• Chocolate cookie contest: A competition for amateur bakers to show
off their cookie-baking skills. For more
information on how to enter, call 720898-7400.
• Youth entertainment: Activities
include storytelling, face painting and
balloon artistry.
• Carriage rides: Take a romantic
ride with your sweetheart to view the giant hearts on display throughout Olde
Town.
For more information, call 303-4206100 or visit www.historicarvada.org or
www.arvadafestivals.com. Last year’s
event raised more than $2,000 for the
Ralston House.

Denver’s fit as a fiddle

Denver can boast being the best
city in the U.S. for fitness in 2014, according to Yahoo Shine, which ranked
“America’s 10 Best cities for Fitness.” No
big shock since we’re a collection of outdoors and mountain lovers.
Here’s what Yahoo wrote:
“The Mile High City is miles above
the rest when it comes to exercise.
Between the incredible hiking in the
nearby Rocky Mountains, skiing in Winter Park Resort and the more than 850
miles of paved off-road trails around
the city for biking, it’s no surprise that
Denver tops our best cities for fitness
list. Denver also has a citywide bikesharing program, which is even more of
an incentive for residents to be active.”
Parker continues on Page 13

12-Color

12 Centennial Citizen

January 31, 2014

Fleming stars in ‘Rusalka’
The
Metropolitan
Opera live broadcast of
Dvorak’s “Rusalka” on
Feb. 8 will feature Renee Fleming singing
what has become a signature role for her. The
story of a water sprite’s
tragic romance with a
human prince is based on
several folktales, including
Hans Christian Anderson’s
“Little Mermaid.” Theaters
include: AMC Highlands
Ranch, Castle Rock 12;
Greenwood Plaza, Bel Mar.
Some theaters will have a
repeat performance at 6:30
p.m. Feb. 10. Check with
specific theaters for time for
Feb. 8.

Made in America

The Arapahoe Philharmonic’s Feb. 7 concert at
7:30 p.m. will be “Made in
America,” including American Country Folk with the
Trailriders; Gershwin’s “An

Families are invited to
the Audubon Nature Center
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb.
15 to learn how to identify
and count birds. The event is
part of the 17th Annual Great
Backyard Bird Count, which
runs from Feb. 14 to 17.
The center is on Waterton
Road, off Wadsworth Boulevard at the south end of
Chatfield State Park. There
will be crafts for kids and a
scavenger hunt, as well as
instructions on creating a
healthy bird habitat in your
backyard. More than 100
countries are participating
in the count at present, reporting results to the Cornell University Ornithology
Department (find instructions online). This effort

Renee Fleming will sing in the Metropolitan Opera Live Broadcast on Feb. 8 in “Rusalka.” The role is a signature one for
her as she auditioned with the aria “Song to the Moon” 25 years ago and has performed it many times since. Courtesy
photo
by citizen scientists helps
professional scientists keep
track of bird populations,
which are changing habits
and habitats due to global
warming. The event is free,
although donations are welcome. For information call
303-973-9530 or visit www.
denveraudubon.org.

Swallow Hill Music begins a family concert series:
Station Wagon Sessions, at
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Feb. 1,
Mar. 2, Apr. 6, May 4 at 3
p.m. at Swallow Hill Music
Association, 71 E. Yale Ave.,
Denver. Activities by The
Children’s Museum and The
Butterfly Pavilion. Prices
vary ($5-$20), 303-7771003, ext. 2; www.swallowhillmusic.org. First program
is by Justin Roberts and
the Not Ready for Naptime
Players.

Curtain time for “Mousetrap” at
the Arvada Center is changed for
Sunday, Feb. 2, due to the Super Bowl:
The play will start at 1 p.m. instead of
the usual 2 p.m. Otherwise, performances will be on a regular schedule
at 6901 Wadsworth, Arvada: 7:30
p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; 1
p.m. Wednesdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays,
Sundays, with added shows at 1 p.m.
Thursdays Feb. 6, 13 and 20 due to
high demand for tickets for this Christie favorite that has been running for
61 years non-stop in London. (The
inclusion of Denver Center Theatre’s
Kathy Brady in the cast is an additional draw.) Tickets: 720-898-7200 or
www.arvadacenter.org.

The annual Colorado New Play
Summit will be at the Denver Center
Theatre Company, Performing Arts
Complex, Feb. 7 to 9 with readings
of five new works and performances
of two plays commissioned from the

While Denver comes in at No. 1, four
California cities — San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Los Angels — made
the top 10.

By Sonya Ellingboe

sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.
com

Historic Littleton Inc. tries to have its
annual meeting in one of Littleton’s historic
buildings each year so that members can
become better acquainted with the various
parts and pieces that make up the city’s history.
Located at a highly visible entrance to
the downtown area, is Weston Lodge No. 22
at 5738 S. Rapp St. as one enters the downtown from Santa Fe drive.
On Jan. 22, HLInc members gathered
in the upstairs meeting hall at the lodge to
learn about the building’s history from retired engineer Robin Knox, who — with assistance from several other members — led
a tour of the building, talking about what
e for they could comfortably discuss and skiptesy ping what they could not.
When Littleton’s first settlers arrived on
the banks of the South Platte River to search
for gold in 1858, many gold hunters were already Masons, he said.
By 1861, a Grand Lodge was established
at Auraria — needed in order to grant other
lodges permission to form.
Colorado was still a territory at that time
and by 1872, Littleton’s Weston Lodge was
No. 22 in the sequence — recognized on
March 1, 1872.
Meetings were held for the first 49 years
upstairs in the J.D. Hill General Store, which
is next door to the Lodge now. (Natural Surroundings and Three Chimneys).
“Close quarters as the membership
grew,” Knox commented.
In 1911 the related ladies and brothers
met to start a chapter of Order of Eastern
Star, Manzanita No. 85.
They met above the Littleton Independent on Main Street, using a piano the Masons helped to provide.
Both organizations needed more room
and in July 1914 a building fund was set up
to receive 25 percent of Lodge income. On
Oct. 20, 1920, member I.W. Hunt donated

Super Bowl treats

Weston Lodge 22, at 5718 S. Rapp St., Littleton, is a Littleton Historic Landmark. The organization was established in
1861 and the lodge’s cornerstone was laid in 1921. Photo by Mike Yost for Historic Littleton Inc.
land at the end of Main Street for a temple
and building began with donated labor,
materials, paint and more.
The cornerstone was laid April 23, 1921,
containing various symbolic items, a list of
members and a copy of the Littleton Independent. The first Lodge meeting was Aug.
21, 1921.
It was the sturdy brick building we see
today with two white pillars and Masonic
symbols on the facade.
Members still care for it lovingly and it
houses regular meetings of Masons, Eastern Star, Demolays, Rainbow Girls and Jobs
Daughters.
Everything in the upper meeting room
has symbolic meaning, much of it not
open for discussion, but Knox pointed out
a photo of lawyer/Harvard graduate Adam
Weston, for whom the Lodge was named.
Three lighted tapers, two pillars holding globes, an altar set on black and white
checkerboard tiles, symbolic of Solomon’s

Temple, copies of the lodge’s charters and a
picture of George Washington, who was an
active Mason, were described.
Any good man who asks to be a Mason
can start his Masonic journey and women
related to a Mason can start as Eastern Stars
or Job’s Daughters.
Rainbow Girls is open to any girl to join
— which leads to how this meeting all came
about.
Historic Littleton board member Darlee
Whiting first visited the Lodge as a Castle
Rock teenager. She and others sought training so they could start a Rainbow Girls
chapter in Castle Rock — which they did.
Many years later, it occurred to her that it
would certainly be a place of interest to her
fellow history buffs, so she arranged for the
meeting.
For information about Historic Littleton
Inc., which is open to anyone interested in
local history, see the website, www.hlinc.
org.

Because of a conflict with the Super
Bowl, the Colorado Symphony’s Masterworks concert on Feb. 2 will begin at noon,
instead of the original time of 2:30 p.m.
The rescheduled concert will allow ticket
holders and the orchestra time to enjoy
pre-game festivities leading up to Super
Bowl XLVIII, which pits the Denver Broncos
against the Seattle Seahawks. The Colorado
Symphony will host a pre-concert Broncos
Breakfast at 11 a.m., to include coffee and
orange and blue doughnuts.
Tickets for the Feb. 2 concert are 50 percent off for those in Broncos orange and
blue, available in person at the CSO box
office. For those wearing Seattle Seahawks
merchandise, the price is double.
Meanwhile, Zengo at 1610 Little Raven St. will be running its $35 bottomless
brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to celebrate the Broncos being in the Super Bowl.
Zengo is offering an “Orange Crush” drink
consisting of vodka and orange crush soda
to be included in the bottomless brunch
options for $7 (John Elway’s former number) on the a la carte menu. Call 720-9040965 for reservations or more information.

Overheard

Eavesdropping on a woman on Facebook talking about her daughter: “Eliza
fell and scraped her knee. As I cuddled
her, I asked if she wanted some ice to help
the pain. With giant tears rolling down her
cheeks she said, `No, I want prosciutto.’ We
are definitely raising a good little Italian.”
Penny Parker’s “Mile High Life” column gives
insights into the best events, restaurants,
businesses, parties and people throughout the metro area. Parker also writes for
Blacktie-Colorado.com. You can subscribe
and read her columns (Monday, Wednesday
and Friday) at www.blacktie-colorado.com/
pennyparker. She can be reached at penny@
blacktie-llc.com or at 303-619-5209.

WE BELIEVE ENERGY STAR IS JUST A STARTING POINT.
Tour our
Two Model Homes!

WE ARE NEW TOWN BUILDERS.
R

7 Days a Week
No Appointment
Necessary!

We’re inspired by classic Colorado architecture and passionate about craŌsmanship. Yet we geek out on the latest technology and building techniques.
The thicker walls in our high performance homes allow for 60% more money-saving insulaƟon than in a convenƟonal home, and our roof is 6 inches
higher than a typical home, so we get 2½ Ɵmes MORE insulaƟon in the aƫc. This reduces heat loss, and more importantly, reduces your energy bill!

jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Plagued in 2013 by bad weather,
low vendor participation, food and
alcohol shortages, and a shortage of
volunteers, the Taste of Lone Tree’s
future was uncertain a few months
ago. But the event’s organizers now
say it will return in 2014, bigger, better, and with a few changes.
“Everybody is enthusiastic about
moving forward in a positive manner,” said Donna Russell, Lone Tree
Chamber of Commerce board member.
The chamber’s 7th annual event is
planned for Aug. 9 and 10 if enough
vendors commit.
The venue, while not yet set, will
be different. Because the undeveloped lot on which it was held in 2012
and 2013 turned to mud after heavy
rains last year, the next Taste will be
on a paved site, Russell said.
To ensure ticket holders can sample a variety of food and vendors
have enough for all, Taste organizers
plan to beef up the number of participating restaurants to a minimum of
25. Just nine restaurants participated
in the 2013 event, which drew an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people.
“They got slammed,” Russell said.
Nine “is just simply not enough vendors to be able to handle that crowd.
So we need to make a commitment
to them up front we will have enough
vendors this time.
“There will be a time built into

People wait in line for tastes during the 2013 Taste of Lone Tree, held on an empty lot in the Lincoln
Commons shopping center. The location will be new in 2014 and organizers are calling for a ‘bigger,
better’ event with more options. File photo
our process at which if we don’t have
the correct number of vendors, we
will not pursue the event.”
Russell doesn’t believe that will be
the case, however. In meetings held
to assess what went wrong in 2013
and whether support existed for
continuing the Taste, participants
indicated support for the event.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” said
Nothing Bundt Cakes owner Dea
Kreisman, who’s participated in the
Taste for five years. “I hope they can
get some of the kinks worked out because I think it’s a great thing to do
for our community.”
Lone Tree Brewing Company
owner John Winter, who had called
last year’s event “embarrassing,” and
“a black mark on the community,”
also likes the change in plans for

2014.
“I have a great deal of confidence
because some of the people that had
previously been responsible for the
Taste of Lone Tree are back in charge
of it,” he said. “I think that speaks
volumes for its future.
“We’ll be back, no question. This
is our home. We’re not going to run
from one failure.”
Former Lone Tree Chamber director Linda Harmon resigned six weeks
after the 2013 Taste, after serving for
seven months as the organization’s
leader.
Her position, vacant since late
September, soon will be filled.
“We are in the process of reviewing resumes and do anticipate hiring
somebody in the near future,” Russell said.

HAVE A STORY IDEA?
Email Centennial Community Editor George Lurie at glurie@coloradocommunitymedia.com or call 303-5664109.

As soon as one is seated in
Town Hall Arts Center’s cozy
theater, one can count seven
doors behind a 1960s apartment’s living room furnishings. That’s an immediate
clue to tonight’s play, the classic farce “Boeing Boeing” by
Marc Camoletti, as translated
from the French by Beverly
Cross and Francis Evans. It
first played in Paris, then London in 1962 and had a Broadway revival in 2007, we learn
from the director’s notes.
It will be one of those doorslamming farces — entertaining when done well with perfect timing. And this one is
indeed performed well.
Director Robert Wells has
chosen a cast with comic
chops and rehearsed with
them until the ins and outs
— and slams and surprised
expressions — are executed
with precision and at the
same time with tongue firmly
in cheek.
American playboy Bernard (Damon Guerrasio)
has a charming flat in Paris
and the latest copy of airline
timetables right next to the
phone on his desk. Through
a connection at Orly Airport,
he meets lovely air hostesses
and manages to be engaged
to three at one time, which
works well as given the regular schedules, he can count
on only one fiancée in Paris at
a time.
“All the pleasures of a ha-

IF YOU GO
“Boeing Boeing” plays through Feb.
9 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W.
Main St., Downtown Littleton. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays,
Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets:
$20-$40, 303-794-2787 ext. 5, www.
townhallartscenter.com.
rem right here in Paris,” his
friend Robert comments. “All
you need is a timetable,” Bernard assures him.
A faster jet, bad weather,
extra layover time and other
factors interfere and chaos
ensues, aided by the visit
from his nerdy friend Robert
(Casey Andree), who consistently says the wrong thing
and is understandably confused about who is who.
Bernard’s feisty American
maid, Berdie (an excellent
Leslie Randle Chapman),
tries to maintain some semblance of order, changing out
the appropriate photos and
adapting the dinner menus
as American Gloria (Lauren
Bahlman), Italian Gabriella
Cailin Doran) and German
Gretchen (Nicole Campbell)
arrive and depart.
Dressed in primary colors,
with nice costume details by
newcomer Nicole Zausmer,
these three are playing Bernard’s game too. Life-long
commitment is not in the
plan.
The fast-paced production
offers physical comedy, mistaken identities, innuendo,
misunderstanding and considerable silliness. Expect to
spend the evening laughing
and head out into the night
with not a single pressing issue weighing you down.

let yourself go
Reduced stress, elevated mood, and a strengthened immune system are all part of
experiencing a therapeutic massage The Elements Way.™

tmunds@coloradocommunitymedia.
com
This is the third season there has once
again been a wrestling team wearing Littleton High School’s blue and gold colors.
“There hadn’t been wrestling at Littleton for about 18 years until it was brought
back three years ago,” Lions coach Heath
Burton said during a break at the Jan. 25
Rock Canyon tournament. “The first year,
we wrestled at the junior varsity level. This
marks the second year we are wrestling on
the varsity level.”
Littleton joined Thomas Jefferson,
Pueblo West, Valor Christian, Del Norte,
Cherokee Trail, Wheat Ridge and host Rock
Canyon for the Jan. 25 one-day team tournament. The tournament format made
sure each team wrestled five dual matches
before the event champion was crowned.
The Lions grappled their way to fifth
place in the final standings of the tournament as Pueblo West took home top honors.
“This is primarily a young team,” Burton said. “We have a couple seniors but
many of the varsity wrestlers are sophomores.”
Two of those sophomores, 120-pounder
Poe Di and heavyweight Aron Pino-Valenvuela, were sidelined for the tournament,
making Littleton shorthanded.
Burton said wrestling is a tough sport

Littleton 170-pounder Max Madorsky scores points against his Thomas Jefferson opponent during the team dual
tournament Jan. 25 at Rock Canyon High School. Madorsky won the match, 9-1, to add to his record that is among
the best on the Lions team. Photo by Tom Munds
that requires a lot of dedication, but the
program is gradually growing.
“We are working on getting a new wrestling room and getting more kids interested in the sport as we work to build the
program,” he said.
Senior Max Madorsky wrestles at 170
pounds for the Lions.
“I got into wrestling (to) prepare for my
career because I want to be a mixed martial arts competitor,” he said. “I tried wres-

tling as a sophomore at another school but
it wasn’t for me. But I came to Littleton as a
junior and the coaches and my teammates
welcomed me and helped me learn about
high school wrestling.”
He said wrestling is his only high school
sport but, as he seeks to prepare to enter
MMA, he also trains in kickboxing and jiujitsu.
“When I was in eighth grade I weighed
about 300 pounds. I started working out

and got to 250 but got into a fight and got
beat up,” he said. “I decided I needed to
learn to defend myself. I took up jiu-jitsu
and won the next fight with the same guy.
When I talked about the fight at the gym,
they told me about MMA and the fact I
could make money there. Then I started
my dedicated training.”
He said, during wrestling season, he
goes to either kickboxing or jiu-jitsu practice three or four mornings a week. He
then attends wrestling practices in the afternoon before going to some additional
kickboxing or jiu-jitsu practices three or
four evenings a week. When it isn’t wrestling season, he has morning and afternoon classes in the other two sports at
least three times a week plus he competes
in tournaments for both kickboxing and
jiu-jitsu.
He trains hard and it has paid off, as he
is 4-0 in kickboxing matches. He also has
competed and done well in five Brazilian
jiu-jitsu tournaments. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is
a style focusing on grappling and battling
on the mat.
He said he has been in jiu-jitsu training
long enough that he is now teaching at the
Eastern Training Center near County Line
Road and Holly.
“I started with jiu-jitsu which focuses
on grappling,” he said. “I liked it but soon
also decided to train in kickboxing. I liked
that too because it is more fun to kick people in the head than to grapple with them.
But I still do both sports and love both of
them because they are challenging and
exciting plus it is training for becoming a
professional competitor in the MMA.”

FALCONS OVER EAGLES

Coach Kevin Fredrick explains strategy to the Colorado Thunderbirds AAA Pee Wee players during the Jan. 25
practice. The team of young athletes is preparing to take part in an international tournament Feb. 14-24 in
Quebec, Canada. Photo by Tom Munds

Thunderbirds get ready for tourney
Pee Wee AAA hockey
team preparing for
international competition
By Tom Munds

The rasp of blades of speeding skaters,
the clatter of sticks on the ice and crash of
young players checking each other filled the
air Jan. 25 during the Colorado Thunderbirds practice session at South Suburban
Ice Arena.
“These guys are 12 years old and younger
and are member of the Pee Wee AAA team
that is getting ready to go an international
tournament in February,” Buddy Blom, a
Thunderbird coach, said during the practice. “The United States Hockey Association
recognized AA level teams for years. About
10 years ago, players were getting better
and dominating AA so the association created the AAA level to provide competition
for more advanced youth hockey players.”

The Colorado Thunderbirds is an organization that has elite level hockey teams
for players from 11- to 18-years-old. The
teams play local teams from organizations
like the Littleton Hockey Association plus
they make road trips to tournaments to
play against national and international opponents.
“We are an elite-level team and hold tryouts to determine the roster,” said Blom,
who coaches primarily goalies. “We draw
players from Littleton, Centennial and all
over the metro area.”
Kevin Fredrick is the head coach. He is
an alumnus of the Littleton Hockey Association and went on to play on three different
United States Hockey Association teams.
He later earned his degree from the University of Denver and has been coaching elitelevel Pee Wee teams for the last nine years.
Blom, a long-time Littleton resident,
played goalie for the University of Denver
and later coached the Cherry Creek High
School hockey team in the 1970s. He said he
Hockey continues on Page 16

16-Color

16 Centennial Citizen

January 31, 2014

Player down, but not out
Athlete with
prosthetic legs
ruled ineligible
By Hannah Garcia

hgarcia@coloradocommunitymedia.com
With the last few minutes trickling off the clock,
it was a layup by Mountain
Vista senior Bailey Roby
that made the crowd erupt
in cheers.
“I’m usually a threeman,” said Roby, referencing his prolific ability to
make his shots beyond the
perimeter.
A bittersweet moment,
and possibly the last chance
the teen will have to score
in his high school career.
Born with just three toes on
each foot, Roby had both
legs amputated as a baby.
He was fit with his first pair
of prosthetic legs at age 3.
Now, wearing a pair of
Ossur Flex-Run legs — similar to those of South Afri-

can Olympic runner Oscar
Pistorius — Roby is caught
up in a tangle of red tape
that will likely bar his entrance into another game
this year.
The Golden Eagles improved to 14-1 after routing the Littleton Lions 8049. And although Roby’s
two points may not have
won the Jan. 24 game, he
still earned the loudest applause of the night following his entrance into the
game with mere minutes
left in the last quarter. Supporters hugged and patted
Roby on the back, offering
congratulations and condolences.
“Bailey has been involved in Mountain Vista
basketball one way or another for the last four years,”
said Pat McCabe, Mountain
Vista’s athletic director.
Last year, as a junior,
Roby made the junior varsity basketball team, fulfilling a dream.
Since then, Roby has
been a fourth-quarter fa-

vorite, with fans chanting
his name and thundering
with applause.
This year, Roby made
the varsity team, playing
in eight games and scoring
11 points. Midway through
the season and after calls
from officials, the Colorado
High School Activities Association stepped in, claiming
that it could not authorize
Roby to play because of his
disability.
“There was no way we
could get an authorization
letter for Bailey to play,”
McCabe said. “We got a
one-time official authorization (from CHSAA) for the
game tonight against Littleton. After this, he won’t be
able to get in the game.”
Although he was authorized to play last year on
the junior varsity team, McCabe said the “speed and
physicality” of varsity basketball poses more risk with
Roby in the game.
But Roby’s parents, Kim
and Scott, said they do not
understand why the decision was enacted halfway
through the season.
“It’s actually kind of confusing for us,” Scott Roby
said.
“We were told that it was
an issue with the officiating, that the officials were
not comfortable letting Bailey play without a waiver.”
With Mountain Vista’s
.933 win rate so far this season, and eyes on the state
championship, Bailey Roby
said it would be hard to
watch from the bench.
“It is my senior year, and
it’s hard to play in my last

Bailey Roby tries for three points in the fourth quarter as Littleton’s Josh
Randle defends in Highlands Ranch on Jan. 24. The Roby family had to pick
up the special blue padding on his prosthetics the same day as the game
“otherwise he wouldn’t be able to play,” according to his mother. Photo by
Hannah Garcia
game,” he said, expressing
hope that CHSAA may reverse the decision. “They
just need to work it out so
that they’ll understand how
to make sure prosthetics
are OK in sports.”
When asked for the
reasoning behind the decision, CHSAA assistant

commissioner Bert Borgmann pointed to National
Federation of State High
School Association rule
3-5-1, which says that state
associations can “provide
reasonable
accommodations” to individuals with
“disabilities and/or special
needs” and “extenuation

circumstances” as long as
those accommodations do
not “fundamentally alter
the sport, heighten risk to
the athlete/others or place
opponents at a disadvantage.”
“Nobody wants to tell
anybody no, but we can’t
authorize him to play, not
only for other players but
for him as well,” Borgmann
said. “The rules are meant
to keep the game what it’s
supposed to be.”
Bailey Roby’s parents
said they were “kept in the
dark,” calling the decision
to prevent their son from
playing a surprise and insisted he poses no danger
to himself or others.
“We would just prefer to
see Bailey be able to finish
out the year, finish what he
started,” Scott Roby said.
The family plans to protest the decision.
“I think the main thing
is, I would hate for this
to happen to someone
else’s kid,” Kim Roby said.
“We’re just trying to keep
our heads up high and be a
good team player.”
Despite the turmoil,
Scott Roby said they were
thankful for the time their
son had on the court.
For now, Bailey Roby
will have to take solace in
cheering for his Golden Eagles from the bench as they
make a run for the championship.
“Now, I just gotta sit on
the bench and support (the
team),” Bailey Roby said.
“The most important thing
is being a part of the team.”

The Centennial Citizen is made possible thanks to our
local advertisers. When you spend your dollars near your
home – especially with these advertisers – it keeps your
community strong, prosperous and informed.

Hockey
Continued from Page 15

loves hockey and helps out with the Pee
Wee U12 AAA Thunderbirds where his
son Zack is the team’s assistant coach.
“We have a pretty good team this
year,” the senior Blom said. “I think we
are ranked sixth or seventh nationally.
We are preparing to go to Quebec, Canada Feb. 14-24 for an international tournament. We will play hockey just about

Sign Up

ShopLocalColorado.com

comeback since I was coaching Cherry
Creek in the ‘70s,” Blom said. “I think
the Avalanche has brought attention
to the sport and feeder programs like
the Littleton Hockey Association and
elite programs like the Thunderbirds
have helped high school hockey make
a comeback. In the mid 1980s there
were only a few teams playing state
sanctioned high school hockey. It has
grown and now there at 29 teams in the
state-sanctioned leagues. It is great to
see hockey rebound because it is a great
sport and it is great to see kids of all ages
playing the game.”

Heritage 48, Highlands Ranch 61
After an even first half and the Eagles leading 25-23
at halftime against the Falcons, Highlands Ranch
came out after half fired up scoring 22 points in
the third quarter and 16 in the fourth for the 61-48
win. Heritage junior Tom Skufca scored 13 points
and sophomore Jack Peck scored 12. Skufca got
the double double grabbing 10 rebounds. Sophomore Tomas Ornelas had five blocks.

Girls basketball

Receive weekly local deals in your inbox!

every day against top U.S. teams as well
as teams from Russia, Canada and other
countries.”
He said how the Thunderbirds do
in the Quebec tournament determines
how many tournament games they play.
It is a double-elimination format, which
means a team with two losses is eliminated.
But all teams get to play a lot of hockey because, in addition to tournament
games, they will also play exhibition
games so each team will probably play
10 games during their stay in Quebec.
“Hockey’s popularity has made a

Heritage 29, Highlands Ranch 79
Bethany Stuhlman led the Eagles with 12 points
in a loss against the Falcons. Haily Cechini scored
six points. Stuhlman had four rebounds and Katherine Petersen had two steals and two blocks.

PREP SPORTS SCOREBOARD
Would you like to see your team on the board? Contact sports reporter Kate Ferraro at kferraro@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Or
go to www.centennialcitizen.net/scores/ and click on Post to the Scoreboard.

17

Centennial Citizen 17

January 31, 2014

Chinese New Year returns to the Ranch
Students from Great Wall
Chinese Academy are
set to perform
By Hannah Garcia

hgarcia@coloradocommunitymedia.
com
In its eighth year, performers from the
Great Wall Chinese Academy will once
again put on a show for Highlands Ranch
residents on Feb. 8.
“It’s a very, very rich culture experience,”
Jaime Noebel, Highlands Ranch Community Association spokesperson, said. “It’s a
really cool event.”
The academy partners with the HRCA
every year to host a Chinese New Year
celebration at the Southridge Recreation
Center, 4800 McArthur Ranch Road. This
year’s event starts at noon and runs until
5:30 p.m., with stage performances from
1-2 p.m. and 4-5 p.m. in the Debus Wildcat
Mountain Auditorium.
“It is an event designed to celebrate the
diversities of our community and promote
multicultural awareness among locals. It is
a joyful event for families and people of all
ages,” organizer Mei Chang said.
This year’s event celebrates the Year of
the Dragon. Stage performances will showcase lion dances, Chinese folk dances, tra-

Patricia Liu performs at last year’s Chinese New Year event at the Southridge Recreation Center. Courtesy photo
ditional music and instruments, martial
arts demonstrations and a children’s chorus.
“The planning for Chinese New Year
starts right after the previous Chinese New

Year show ends. The students in Great Wall
Chinese Academy learn Chinese languages and culture year-around on Sundays,”
Chang said, adding that the young performers learn new dances, Kung Fu moves,

yo-yo tricks and new songs.
“The performers have so much talent
and years of training. It is a wonderful journey for all the young students involved,”
Chang said. “The stage performance opens
a window to China for audiences to see a
variety of folk arts forms from China by talented performers from Great Wall Chinese
Academy and local schools.”
The culture fair will feature traditional
folk art, Chinese costumes, crafts, on-sight
calligraphy and brush paintings, Chinese
shops, Chinese New Year refreshments and
food including, dumplings, rolls, balls noodles, rice and more.
This year, Chang said there are plans to
make more dumplings, which are a crowd
favorite.
“They are always gone first and fast,”
Chang said. “The culture fair brings people
to a little China town, shopping for favorites, on-sight calligraphy, handcrafts, tastes
of all kinds of Chinese refreshments.”
In line with tradition, children who attend will get a red envelope at the door containing a blessing for the new year.
Tickets are $7 and are available at any
HRCA recreation center or by calling 303471-8859.
Tickets will also be available at the door
if not sold out prior to the event. For more
information, call 303-791-2500 or visit
www.hrcaonline.org.

THINGS TO DO
EDITOR’S NOTE: Calendar submissions must
be received by noon Wednesday for publication
the following week. Send listings to calendar@
coloradocommunitymedia.com. No attachments, please. Listings are free and run on a
space-available basis.
FEB. 8
COUPLES NIGHT Vegas Stiletto Fitness

Couples Night Out is from 6-8 p.m. Saturday
Feb. 8. Ladies learn to strut in heels and a sassy
chair dance while the gentleman get a bachata
dance lesson with well-known bachata instructor Juan Gomez. The two groups will then
come together to share what they’ve learned.
Enjoy a romantic atmosphere with beer and
wine. Reserve your chair at www.WithDavida.
com. Space is limited. Centerstage Starz 8150
S. University Blvd., Centennial, CO 80122.

FEB. 10, Feb. 25
TEEN ADDICTION Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network presents “Protecting Your
Teen from Addiction” from 5-6:30 p.m. Feb. 25
(event code: admhn22514) at the Southglenn
Library, Room A, 6972 S. Vine St., Centennial;
and from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 (event code:
admhn210) at the network’s Castle Rock office,
831 S. Perry St., Suite 100. In this class, you
will learn about trends in substance abuse in
our community, how to talk about drugs and
alcohol, signs of substance abuse in teens,
prevention and early intervention, effects of
substances on the brain and brain development, and shifts in views on marijuana use
and legalization. Use the event code listed to
register for classes at Blacktie https://www.
blacktie-colorado.com/index.cfm.

FEB. 16
BLOOD DRIVE Our Father Lutheran Church
community blood drive is from 8 a.m. to noon
Feb. 16 inside Bonfils’ mobile bus at 6335 S.
Holly St., Centennial. For information or to
schedule an appointment, contact Bonfils
Appointment Center at 303-363-2300 or visit
www.bonfils.org.
FEB. 18, April 9, April 10
WRITING CONTEST Creative Communication is accepting submissions for its essay
contest, with divisions for grades 4-6, 7-9
and 10-12, through Feb. 18; and its poetry
contest, with divisions for grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9
and 10-12, through April 10. Top 10 winners
will be named in each division. Essays must
be between 100 and 250 words on any nonfiction topic. Poetry must be 21 lines or less
in English. Entries can made online at www.
poeticpower.com or mail entries, labeled Poetry Contest or Essay Contest, to 159 N. Main,
Smithfield UT 84335. Include author’s name,
address, city, state and ZIP, current grade,
school name, school address and teacher’s
name. Home school students are welcome to
enter. Selected entries of merit will be invited
to be published in an anthology. An art contest
for grades K-12 also is coming up. To enter,
take a photo of your original artwork and enter
it at www.celebratingart.com; deadline is April
9. Full contest information is available online,
or call 435-713-4411.
FEB. 20
BLOOD DRIVE Quadrant Building community blood drive is from 10-11:40 a.m. and

FEB. 22
LEGISLATIVE FORUM The Audubon/Sierra
Club annual legislative forum is from 8:30 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at First Plymouth Church,
3501 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver. The forum is a
chance to meet legislators and learn about the
hot environmental topics that the General Assembly is working on. Continental breakfast at
8:30 a.m., followed by comments from Audubon and Sierra Club lobbyists. Panel on water
issues at 10:15 a.m., lunch at noon, and discussion with invited legislators at 12:30 p.m. Cost
is $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Register
and pay online at www.denveraudubon.org/
programs/conservation, or call 303-973-9530.
You also can send payment to: ASGD, 9308 S.
Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton, CO 80128.

ONGOING
COMMUNITY EDUCATION Registration is

now open for winter 2014 Community Education courses at Arapahoe Community College.
ACC offers fun, non-credit and creative courses
at its Littleton and Parker campuses, the
ACC Art and Design Center, Hudson Gardens
and Event Center and Highlands Ranch High
School. A wide selection of recreational and
educational online Community Education
courses is available. Check out http://www.
arapahoe.edu/community-education or call
303-797-5722.

jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Proving once again that Littleton’s friendship knows no borders,
residents welcomed the children
of the men who started the country’s first Sister City Exchange Program to Bega Park on Jan. 25, Australia Day.
“He would be very proud that
this has continued on, and that
this group has continued to come
together,” said Sally Atchison, the
daughter of former Littleton Independent publisher Houstoun
Waring.
The Littleton/Bega Sister City
Exchange was established by Waring and Curly Annabel, the editor
of a newspaper in Bega, Australia,
after the U.S. State Department
and U.S. Information Agency
made the film “Small Town Editor” in 1951. The agencies showed
it in foreign countries to encourage an independent press to compete with government-controlled
news. It was filmed in Littleton
and featured Waring, who had
achieved national recognition for
his editorials on foreign affairs.
Bruce Annabel remembers that
the two men didn’t always agree
on politics, as his father was more
conservative than the vociferously
liberal Waring.
“But they were able to be cordial and respect each other’s
views,” he said. “I think things like

Sally Atchison and Bruce Annabel stand with a monument to their fathers. Houstoun Waring and Curly Annabel started the first Sister City
program in the nation, resulting in a long friendship between Littleton and Bega, Australia. Photo by Jennifer Smith
this at the grassroots level help cement the relationship at the government level.”
As a few dozen folks in Littleton
gathered to raise the Australian
flag and sing “Waltzing Matilda,”
Bega, Australia, was in full-on party mode. According to the Bega
District News, the day kicked off
with free breakfast on the barbie

in its reciprocally named Littleton
Park, along with activities for the
kids, car shows, a fire brigade and
local musicians.
Other activities aren’t so familiar to Westerners. There were
“showbags,” which Wikipedia
calls a unique feature of Australian fairs. They are themed gift
bags usually promoting a manu-

crossword • sudoku

GALLERY
OF GAMES
& weekly horoscope

facturer like Barbie or general
interests like pirates. A mobile
playgroup also visited; this is a
program funded by the Australian
government that takes all sorts of
fun to children in remote areas,
sort of like a traveling day care.
Bega residents also honored
the 2013 Bega Valley Shire Citizen of the Year, 20-year-old Ryan

Campbell, who is first teenager
to fly solo around the world. The
Bega District News writes that his
flight began in Wollongong on
June 30, 2013, and took 70 days to
complete.
He travelled more than 24,000
nautical miles in 180 hours, and
made 34 stops in 15 countries on
four continents.
“What he remembers best
about the flight was crossing the
Pacific Ocean, visiting the world’s
biggest air-show, AirVenture in
Osh Kosh, USA, and landing at
Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, the
very scene of the Wright brothers’
first flight,” writes the Australian
newspaper.
“He will also remember flying
over icebergs, the tropics and castles as well the scary weather and
the storms. Most importantly, he
will remember it as a life-changing lesson and one he can use to
motivate other young people to
face their fears and follow their
dreams.”
Campbell certainly gives Australia reason to celebrate what’s
great about their country, a goal
of the Australian Day Council. Its
website explains that Australia
Day is the anniversary of the arrival of the British and the first raising of the Union Jack at Sydney
Cove by Captain Arthur Phillip in
1788.
“It’s the day to reflect on what
we have achieved and what we
can be proud of in our great nation,” reads the council’s website.
“It’s the day for us to recommit to
making Australia an even better
place for the future.”

SALOME’S STARS
FOR THE WEEK OF JAN 27, 2014

ARIES (Mar 21 to Apr 19) Taking some time out of
your usually busy social life could be just what you
need to help you focus on putting those finishing
touches on your plans for a possible career change.
TAURUS (Apr 20 to May 20) A misunderstanding
about a colleague’s suggestions could create a delay
in moving on with your proposal. But by week’s end,
all the confusing points should finally be cleared up.
GEMINI (May 21 to Jun 20) You might feel overwhelmed by all the tasks you suddenly have to take
care of. But just say the magic word -- help! -- and
you’ll soon find others rushing to offer much-needed
assistance.

1559-2013 EXHIBIT A
Situate, lying and being in the County of
Arapahoe and State of Colorado, described as follows:
Lot 10, Homestead Farm Filing No. 5,
County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado.
Being the same parcel conveyed to
Howard A. Flaum and Christine H. Flaum
from Robert
J. Cornelius and Lincy A. Cornelius, by virtue of a Deed dated 04/14/1998, recorded
04/15/1998, as Instrument No. A8054463
County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado.

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is
given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:
On November 5, 2013, the undersigned
Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of
Trust described below to be recorded in
the County of Arapahoe records.
Original Grantor(s): Anita B Matthews and
Neil Thomas Matthews
Original Beneficiary(ies): Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting
solely as nominee for MORTGAGEIT, INC
Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Wells
Fargo Bank, N.A.
Date of Deed of Trust: September 18,
2006
County of Recording: Arapahoe
Recording Date of Deed of Trust: September 26, 2006
Recording Information (Reception
Number): B6137999
Original Principal Amount: $213,750.00
Outstanding Principal Balance:
$204,318.46
Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you
are hereby notified that the covenants of
the deed of trust have been violated as
follows: failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other
payments provided for in the evidence of
debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE
A FIRST LIEN.
The property to be foreclosed is:
LOT 1, BLOCK 32, NOB HILL FILING NO.
3, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF
COLORADO
Also known by street and number as:
7302 South Albion Street, Centennial, CO
80122.
THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN
IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN
OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is
given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:
On November 19, 2013, the undersigned
Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of
Trust described below to be recorded in
the County of Arapahoe records.
Original Grantor(s): Jane E. Stern and Ted
Stern
Original Beneficiary(ies): Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Accredited Home Lenders, Inc. a
California Corporation
Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:
Deutsche Bank National Trust Company,
as Indenture Trustee, on behalf of the
holders of the Accredited Mortgage Loan
Trust 2004-3 Asset-Backed Notes
Date of Deed of Trust: May 13, 2004
County of Recording: Arapahoe
Recording Date of Deed of Trust: May 26,
2004
Recording Information (Reception
Number): B4095774
Original Principal Amount: $132,800.00
Outstanding Principal Balance:
$115,579.72
Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you
are hereby notified that the covenants of
the deed of trust have been violated as
follows: failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other
payments provided for in the evidence of
debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE
A FIRST LIEN.
The property to be foreclosed is:
LOT 188, BLOCK 1, HIGHLAND VIEW II,
COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF
COLORADO.
Also known by street and number as:
8165 S. Fillmore Way, Littleton, CO
80122.
THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN
IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN
OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is
given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:
On November 20, 2013, the undersigned
Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of
Trust described below to be recorded in
the County of Arapahoe records.
Original Grantor(s): Ryan L. Roe
and Penney L. Roe
Original Beneficiary(ies): Beneficial Mortgage Co. of Colorado
Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:
BENEFICIAL FINANCIAL I INC.
Date of Deed of Trust: October 20, 2005
County of Recording: Arapahoe
Recording Date of Deed of Trust: October
25, 2005
Recording Information (Reception
Number): B5160309
Re-Recording Information (Reception
Number): B9081836
Re-Recording Date of Deed of Trust:
July 29, 2009
Original Principal Amount: $257,894.31
Outstanding Principal Balance:
$248,810.71
Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you
are hereby notified that the covenants of
the deed of trust have been violated as
follows: failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other
payments provided for in the evidence of
debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE
A FIRST LIEN.
The property to be foreclosed is:
THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED REAL
PROPERTY, TOGETHER WITH IMPROVEMENTS, IF ANY, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF
ARAPAHOE AND STATE OF COLORADO, DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: LOT
3, BLOCK 2, RIDGE MANOR, COUNTY
OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO.
Also known by street and number as:
6861 S GREENWOOD ST, LITTLETON,
CO 80120.
THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN
IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN
OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is
given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:
On October 30, 2013, the undersigned
Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of
Trust described below to be recorded in
the County of Arapahoe records.
Original Grantor(s): Howard A Flaum and
Christine H Flaum
Original Beneficiary(ies): JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.
Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
Date of Deed of Trust: April 22, 2010
County of Recording: Arapahoe
Recording Date of Deed of Trust: May 11,
2010
Recording Information (Reception
Number): D0044355
Original Principal Amount: $275,000.00
Outstanding Principal Balance:
$232,198.94
Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you
are hereby notified that the covenants of
the deed of trust have been violated as
follows: failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other
payments provided for in the evidence of
debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE
A FIRST LIEN.
The property to be foreclosed is:
SEE EXHIBIT A ATTACHED HERETO
AND INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE
The property to be foreclosed is:
Also known by street and number as:
5653 East Long Place, Centennial, CO
80112.
THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN
IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN
OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt
secured by the Deed of Trust, described
herein, has filed Notice of Election and
Demand for sale as provided by law and
in said Deed of Trust.
THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given

About Your

Be Informed!

20

20 Centennial Citizen

January 31, 2014

CAREERS

Advertise: 303-566-4100

Help Wanted

Advertise: 303-566-4100

OurColoradoClassifieds.com

Instruction

Lost and Found

PIANO LESSONS!

Found - rings and necklace
in Parking lot between KoKoRo &
Starbucks in Arvada off Wadsworth
down the hill from Olde Towne.
Turned in to Arvada Police Dept.
720-898-7000

Full-time position available. Payroll and accounts payable accounting
experience required. Bookkeeping and data entry experience required.
Long-term care or skilled nursing facility experience preferred. Must
be computer literate and able to implement and interpret programs,
policies and procedures of a business office. ADP experience preferred.
High school diploma or equivalent required. Will be responsible for all
data management and processing of vendor payment and associate
payroll in accordance with all laws, regulations and Life Care standards.

Experienced floral designers
needed for this
Valentine's Day season
Call (303) 242-7050

GAIN 130 LBS!

George_Field@LCCA.com
303-654-4500
LCCA.com

For local news any time of day, find your community online at

45704

ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

MARKETPL CE
FARM & AGRICULTURE

Advertise: 303-566-4100

Furniture

Horse & Tack
English Saddles under $100 in
great condition (303)472-1350

The Denver Post is looking for
dependable adults to deliver
newspapers in the metro area. Need
reliable vehicle, valid driver’s license,
and proof of insurance. Early morning
hours, seven days per week.

Keep Kids Together
Abused and neglected
brothers and sisters are often
separated in foster care.
There just aren’t enough foster
homes to keep them together.
This leaves them sad, anxious
and confused and they feel
like it’s “all their fault.”
Give the Gift of Hope-Become a Savio foster parent.
Call Tracy Stuart
303/225-4152

LEGITIMATE WORK
AT HOME
No Sales, no Investment, No Risk,
Free training, Free website. Contact Susan at 303-646-4171 or fill
out form at www.wisechoice4u.com

The Town of Larkspur is
seeking to hire a full time public
works - maintenance person to
maintain town facilities including
roads, parks, buildings, and
other town properties, and
perform handyman services, i.e.
mechanical, carpentry, electrical,
and plumbing as required.
Hourly salary based on
qualifications and experience.
Send resume to
TOL, P.O. Box 310
Larkspur, CO 80118
FAX 303-681-2325
or email
clerk@townoflarkspur.org.
For questions regarding this
position call
Town Hall at 303-681-2324
Medical Tech/or MLT
Full time for pediatric office in
Highlands Ranch and Ken Caryl
area. Fax resume to Nita @
303-791-7756
Medical
Nurse LPN, MA or RN
part-time 25-30 hours per week
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Hours 8:30-5:30.
Some Saturdays 9-1pm.
Fun/Busy Pediatric office near
Park Meadows area and Castle
Rock location. Please fax
resume to 303-689-9628 or email
a.lane@pediatrics5280.com

Valet Attendant
openings in
Black Hawk CO.
Valet Attendant openings for local
Casino’s in Black Hawk. Properties are open 7 days a week, 24
hours a day, year
round with positions available on
ALL shifts. Weekend
availability is preferred and
flexible schedules are available.
Candidates must be 18 years of
age with a valid Driver’s License
and be able to pass a
pre-employment background
check and drug screen.
Individuals should apply
online at www.townepark.com for
immediate consideration.
Wanted
older lady for house work
hours will vary- start around noon
15-20 hrs a week
303-424-9600

Wanted:

29 Serious People to
Work from Anywhere using a
computer.
Up to $1500 – $5K PT/FT

Chatfield State Park
is now accepting applications
for all positions.
Contact office (303)791-7275,
or online at www.parks.state.co.us

Your Community Connector
to Boundless Rewards

21-Color

Centennial Citizen 21

January 31, 2014

CAREERS

Advertise: 303-566-4100

Employment Opportunities
Advertise: 303-566-4100

OurColoradoClassifieds.com

NOW HIRING POLICE OFFICERS
The City of Black Hawk, two (2) vacancies for
POLICE OFFICER I. Hiring Range: $53,959
- $62,052 DOQ/E. Unbelievable benefit
package and exceptional opportunity to serve
in Colorado’s premiere gaming community
located 18 miles west of Golden. The City
supports its employees and appreciates great
service! If you are interested in serving a
unique historical city and enjoy working with
diverse populations visit the City’s website at
www.cityofblackhawk.org/goto/employee_services
for more information or to apply online for this
limited opportunity. Requires High School
Diploma or GED, valid Colorado driver’s license
with a safe driving record, must be at least
21 years of age, and must be Colorado POST
certified by date of hire. The City accepts
online applications for
Police Officer positions
year round. Applications
will remain active for one
(1) year from the date of
submission. EOE.

Parks and Open Space Manager

Seeking
The Castle Pines North Metropolitan District is accepting applications for the fulltime position of Parks and Open Space Manager. Under the general supervision
of the District Manager, plans, schedules, coordinates, and supervises the work
of crews performing landscaping, turf maintenance, tree maintenance and repair
projects of District owned parks and Open Spaces and trails. Oversees and
evaluates the Community Center building maintenance, trails, and all storm water
ponds the District is responsible to maintain. Serves as District representative in
all new projects assigned to Parks and Open Space. Plans and coordinates the
Districts water conservation program, and holds community events to present the
program orally and to encourage the proper use of water. Produces educational
and promotional publications as required. For the full job description and desired
qualifications please see our website at www.cpnmd.org
Apply
Applicants are encouraged to
submit examples of conservation
programs, community outreach
communications or other
examples of community
based programs that they
have developed or have
been in charge of. Salary is
commensurate with experience.

Castle Pines North Metro District is a special district that was established in 1984. The Metro District provides water, wastewater and storm
water services and oversees the District-owned parks, trails and open spaces within the community. The Metro District currently serves the
Castle Pines North population of nearly 10,000, and has more than 3,200 residential and business customers. Website: www.cpnmd.org

Colorado Community Media, publishers of 22 weekly newspapers
and websites is seeking to fill the following position.
EDITORIAL PAGE DESIGNER
Position is responsible for assembling editorial pages in each of our 22 community
newspapers. Will be working with editors in multiple offices, editorial background
and/or knowledge of AP style a plus. Some special section page layout projects
will be assigned along with photo toning and preparing weekly newspapers for
press. Bachelor degree or two years working experience in a design or news room
environment required. Proficiency in InDesign and Photoshop in a Mac environment
a must. Ideal candidate is able to work in a demanding deadline environment, will
possess great communication skills and have an acute attention to detail.

MARKETING CONSULTANT
Candidate must be able to sell multiple products to individual clients in a fast paced
environment. Candidate will be responsible for a geographical territory handling
current accounts while growing new business. Newspaper sales background a plus
but not required. This is a full time position eligible for benefits.

Full Home Cleaning
Superior
Housecleaning
at extremely
reasonable
rates!

*Only one offer per closing. Offer Expires 4/30/2014. A Best Buy gift card for $500 will be given after closing and
can be used toward purchase of a 50 inch TV or any other Best Buy products. Ad must be mentioned at closing. Program, rates, terms and
conditions are subject to change without notice. Regulated by the Division of Real Estate. MLO100022405

Join Mike Blinder, author and one of the nation’s leading
digital marketing experts with over 60,000 small and medium
size businesses world-wide using one of his online marketing
solutions, as he shows you how to effectively advertise in both
print and digital formats.

to All AttEndEEs WHo REgistER
FREE ADMISSION SPONSORED BY

$1

0

0

V

A

LU

E

FREE

REGISTER BY FEBRUARY 3

REgistER onlinE www.localmediaworkshops.com
AttEndEEs Will lEARn:
› what it takes to ensure success in advertising,
regardless of the media used
› what Native Advertising is and why it is becoming
so effective for small businesses
› how to raise your results on Google & Yahoo to get
found by those who are searching for your product
or service
› how to combine print, web, social media and mobile
for increased results

BonUs!

Mike will unveil Colorado Community Media’s new,
innovative multimedia marketing solution for
small- medium business owners.
All attendees will have access to a free audit to assist
them in planning an effective multimedia marketing
campaign.*
*Conditions apply.